Making the future port city in Rotterdam's Makers District

As more functional port activities have moved out of urban harbors and into city hinterlands, they have often left behind spaces full of both challenges and opportunities. In Rotterdam, the neighborhoods of Merwe-Vierhavens (M4H) and Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (RDM) are a a case in point of such developments. Now designated under the umbrella term of Rotterdam's Makers District, the two areas offer insights into the dynamics of urban waterfront decline and reinvention. In this article, we look at the vision, goals and objectives of the Makers District, and contextualize them in international policy advocacy movements for the advancement of urban manufacturing.