The After Summer School returns with four days of city classes scattered across Rotterdam. A wide variety of knowledge producers will share their methods for changing the city — by looking, listening, writing, archiving, collaborating, activating, researching, designing, and walking differently. On Friday, September 19th, OMI organises an exploration through the Esch, searching for ‘Contemporary Utopias’.

Subject to major public debate, a ‘third bridge’ is coming to Rotterdam. Landing in De Esch, it will act as a driver for change, whether desired or not. Almost 50 years ago, in 1978, the waterworks in De Esch were appropriated by the Utopia live-work community. What can utopia be today? Can we construct a contemporary utopia? What does utopia mean in the city context of Rotterdam?