In the late 1980s, Riek Bakker took the Urban Development Department under her wing and won over both supporters and critics for the Kop van Zuid. The area had been a bustling port district for years, but the port had outgrown its space, leaving the former shipping area – with its railway lines, warehouses and cranes – in a state of neglect. A completely new district had to be built for living, working and leisure. It took a true pioneering spirit and a great deal of perseverance to convince everyone. The Erasmus Bridge was intended to make it more attractive for businesses, cultural institutions and city centre residents alike to take the leap to the South.

Now, more than 30 years later, there are residential and office towers, hotels and theatres, cafés and museums, and even floating buildings and parks. With all these modern buildings and spectacularly converted warehouses, Rotterdam-Zuid has become a sought-after district for living and leisure. Although a success story according to many, it is not without its critics asking ‘for whom are all these beautiful homes and facilities?’