Rotterdam Devoid

Rotterdam Devoid is a pop-up event that attempts to address the low occupancy rate of the center of Rotterdam around 2015. A collaboration with film maker Jaime Levinas and music producer Damcase (Dimitri Damaskos). We took over the 24th floor of the former shell tower at Hofplein 19, Rotterdam. In a week, we transformed the empty floor into multiple audio-visual spatial experiences. During the weekend of Art Rotterdam, we hosted live music performances and the floor was open to public.

In 2014, Rotterdam saw a low 30% occupation rate of commercial buildings in its business center. The pedestrians rarely see that on top of their frequent shops are floors after floors of emptiness. High-rise with their darkened glass facade enclose spaces of potential. The vacant spaces speak of an optimism gone cold, or a quiet gestation period before the sprouts. 

One of the most controversial high-rise in the center of Rotterdam is the Shellgebouw completed between 1973 and 1976, heavily criticized after its completion, it brought an halt to the densification of Rotterdam center with high-rises. In the 90s, Shell abandoned the brutalist high-rise and moved into a modern building across the street. The tower remained largely empty since then.