Leeszaal West

By Niels Bekkema
Niels Bekkema's stories

Leeszaal Rotterdam West is a residents’ initiative. The reason was the closure of both libraries in West, despite fierce protests from residents who thought it was a cultural and social blunder. The Old West has a long tradition of action. We don’t just resign ourselves to what others decide for us, we started thinking about an alternative: a Reading Room (in Dutch: Leeszaal). There were plenty of ideas about what a Reading Room could mean in this neighborhood. As well as people who wanted to do something. After a week-long festival to test the ideas and willingness to act, Leeszaal Rotterdam West opened in January 2013. A former hammam was transformed into an inviting place to read, learn, experiment and meet, with the equipment and craftsmanship of interior architect Ruud Brugghe. A culture bazaar.

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1 March, 2022