What does climate adaptation really mean for the residents of Rotterdam-Zuid? Where do risks coincide, and what measures would ensure everyone is protected? Together with residents, experts and initiators, Cultuur&Campus Putselaan organised on 1 July the soft launch of Platform Zuid, a dashboard full of stories and data about climate in Rotterdam-Zuid. 

 

With the heat came the soft launch of the Platform Zuid, a spatial 'dashboard' that brings together climate-related data and personal stories from a number of residents from Rotterdam-Zuid. Developed by Cultuur&Campus Putselaan and the Mapping for Climate Resilience (MapCRes) project, this online platform not only shows data but also seeks to show relevance and connections, asking: What does climate adaptation really mean for the residents of Rotterdam-Zuid?  

 

The event gathered residents, project developers, people from the municipality, PhD candidates, and initiators from all corners of Rotterdam-Zuid. With paper fans in hand, water bottles nearby, and personal agendas on their minds, I was glad to be there representing ELIA, a proud partner in the Cultuur&Campus Putselaan project. 

 

Upon arrival, I could immediately feel the sun on my skin, but this heat was also a physical reminder of the very urgencies Platform Zuid is designed to respond to. The platform presents climate-related data and resources (e.g. heat stress zones, energy labels, and access to green spaces) with cultural and social infrastructure, community initiatives, events, and most importantly, stories from the residents themselves. Think of it as a platform that is consistently evolving, and keeps asking: what’s missing?  

 

One of its goals is to bridge quantitative data with qualitative data, featuring the human side of climate change and local expertise. For instance, surveys by the municipality may show that parts of Rotterdam-Zuid score high in heat stress. But what does that feel like for residents trying to cool their homes while juggling rising bills? 

 

“There’s already over-research in this area,” said Janna Michael, Assistant Professor in Urban Cultures and Sustainability and part of Cultuur&Campus Putselaan. “A lot of researchers are coming to the area and extract information... and people are tired of that kind of research because it’s not helping them in any way.”  

 

Platform Zuid attempts to counter this situation by being place-based, constantly updated, and accountable to the community it maps.  

 

We heard from several voices, including Carnisse resident and researcher Audrey Esteban, who shared a personal project “Dear Deers” (Lieve Herten). When she moved from the north of the city to the south, she was hesitant to live far from campus. She ended up near the Deer Park in Charlois, Rotterdam. In the isolating walks during COVID, feeding the deer became the only routine that tethered her to this new place. When the deer were displaced, it felt like a metaphor for so much more: friendships that dissolved, neighbours who were displaced. Roadblocks went up in their place. It may be a small story to her, but it’s one of many that sit in the crevices between data points. These micro-stories matter. They belong on the map too. 

 

Later, Isabel Awad Cherit from Erasmus University Rotterdam mentioned how we map, is how we see. But then, who draws the boundaries? Who gets to correct them? This is where Platform Zuid starts to become more than an online platform. It’s a prototype inviting residents of Zuid to become editors, co-authors and critics. Imagine features where residents could spot gaps and revise how their neighbourhood is described because data does not interpret themselves but rather rely on people's interpretation to become meaningful.   

 

As Janna put it, “Collaboration is often underestimated. It takes a lot of time, commitment, openness, and a willingness to learn from others.” Mapping then is not just a technical process, but a social one.  

 

Some participants suggested incorporating underused datasets, like municipal heat surveys or mobility indexes. Others, like housing activist Mustapha Eaisaouiyen, reminded us that platforms are tools, but movements are what make them matter. “This,” he said, “is part of a larger movement, one that must belong to the people of Rotterdam.” 

 

One theme that stood out throughout the launch was ‘trust’. If this platform is to thrive, people need to trust the “honest brokers” behind it, whether they are researchers, policy advisors, or local organisers. Many residents already don’t open their official ‘blue envelopes’ (from the Dutch Tax Authority), so why would they open a dashboard if it doesn’t reflect them? This trust needs to be built through consistent engagement. 

 

Janna added: “A lot of people don’t have the capacity to engage with these kinds of things. There are massive communication gaps between policy and real residents.” In other words, accessibility isn’t just about design or language, it’s about relevance and trust. 

 

This is also where ELIA comes in. Yes, we often talk about making higher arts education more accessible. But there’s just as much to learn from local initiatives. “There’s so much going on at a really high level,” said Janna on what networks and institutions can learn from local initiatives, “but because it’s not part of a degree structure, art schools sometimes miss out.” For ELIA, this is a good opportunity to stay connected to grassroots initiatives like these, to co-learn across contexts together with our members, especially those outside traditional academic frameworks, and to remain relevant. 

 

The soft launch of Platform Zuid welcomed valuable critique, contributions and questions: Who decides which climate information matters? How do we balance enough information without overwhelming the user? Who owns the platform once the project ends? 

 

These questions remain open, but that’s exactly the point. Platform Zuid will continue to evolve with input from the community. Learn more about this dashboard here. 

 

As we left the event, the temperature still hovered around 35 degrees (felt warmer!). But the atmosphere in the room was another type of warm. As a proud resident of Rotterdam, Mustapha Eaisaouiyen stood up (left), not with a solution but with a poem. I leave you with his words: 

 

 

Beloved comrades in the struggle for justice,  

 

We gather here today not as isolated individuals, but as a beloved community. A community that dares to believe a better Rotterdam is not only possible—it is necessary. A city where justice is not an abstract ideal, but a living, breathing reality. A city where every human being matters—no matter their skin color, background, gender, or postal code.  

 

And let me be crystal clear: this movement of ours is rooted in radical love. Not sentimental love. Not cheap love. But love that confronts, love that heals, love that tells the truth. As my hero Cornel West and the mighty sister bell hooks remind us: radical love is the beginning of transformation. It is love that refuses to stand passively by while injustice appears.   

 

Love that tears down walls, builds bridges, and touches the very core of inequality.  

 

Radical love is not weak.   

 

It ain’t soft.   

 

It ain’t cute. It’s a courageous, revolutionary force.   

 

It demands moral integrity.   

 

It demands that we not only change the world around us—but wrestle with the world within us. For how can we demand justice out there if we ignore the injustice within our own hearts?  

 

Here in Rotterdam—this gritty, glorious city full of struggle and diversity—we must build on sacred principles:  

 

Truth-telling time – We must speak the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it costs us. Honesty is the spine of a just society.  

 

Radical solidarity – Our struggles are bound together. No community left behind. We don’t fight just for ourselves—we fight for one another.  

 

Dream with discipline – As West says, a dream without action is mere fantasy. And action without a dream is blind. So let us dream with discipline, that our visions may manifest.  

 

They say Rotterdam is a hard city. Cold. Tough. But I say: beneath these rough streets, there beats a heart of fire. In the neighborhoods of South, in the courage of West, in the hope of East and North—there lies the seed of transformation. That’s what makes this city real.  

 

And we must never forget: this struggle is not a sprint—it is a marathon. And in this long, winding road, we need each other. Not as perfect beings, but as wounded healers—carrying our pain, our joy, our flaws, our fierce love.  

 

So go forth—build, organize, rise up. Call your people to action. Embrace your grief, your truth, your tenderness. And above all: keep on loving—radically, fearlessly. For as Bell hooks taught us, “Love is the practice of freedom.”

 

Rotterdam, we can do this. Together. For justice. For dignity. For the soul of this city. 

 

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Cultuur&Campus Putselaan is a lively place in Rotterdam-Zuid where education, culture and the neighbourhood come together. In an old school building, they are working on the future, where learning, collaboration, and creativity are central. Together they are building an inclusive and sustainable place for everyone. This is a collaborative partnership project funded by the EU's Horizon Europe Programme.