Finding homes – there is another way 2026

Idea, research, design & curation: Platform Woonopgave, Recht op de Stad, AIR & OMI.
The portraits (8) were made by me as part of the exhibition.

The Netherlands faces a major housing shortage. The government's answer: one million extra homes, with the emphasis on new buildings, new neighbourhoods or even new cities. But new construction is slow, expensive and bad for the climate. There is another way! The exhibition Woningen vinden shows how 100,000 homes could be added in Rotterdam differently.

Even in times of housing shortage there turns out to be room – hidden in the city, behind front doors and between façades. Around 50% of households live in homes that are too large. In neighbourhoods such as the Oude Westen and Middelland, many single people live in family homes with several bedrooms. Platform Woonopgave and Recht op de Stad went through the neighbourhoods looking for vacant spaces and hidden living space. By sharing and splitting homes, encouraging people to move on, extending buildings and using in-between spaces, new homes can be found.

Using a 'detective board' with drawings, sketches, stories and maps, the exhibition makes the many possibilities for more homes visible. It shows what this approach brings to the Oude Westen and Middelland: new facilities, collective spaces and affordable homes. At the same time it invites residents to think along and add their own ideas. Join the expedition and discover where space can be found and how it can improve the neighbourhood!