The Limitations and Possibilities of Co-Creation in the Public Domain of Rotterdam

A group of undergraduate bachelor students engaged in a project that focused on finding new co-creation methods for the public domain in Rotterdam. This paper describes the context in which the students worked, the findings they made and the solutions they proposed. Their working process is compared with the work of the Freehouse foundation, a professional artist-run organization that focuses on empowering locals, socially and economically, by enlarging their involvement in the public domain. Subsequently the specifics of the discussed public domain, Rotterdam South, are pointed out. This is required because a very specific context is created by the combination of working class pride, lack of involved citizenship and severe social issues in the area. To conclude, the effect of the co-creative methods employed by the students and Freehouse on the redistribution of power is compared with more traditional forms of citizen participation.