Katendrecht, once Rotterdam’s historic harbour district, has transformed over the years, evolving socially and culturally. These changes resonate profoundly in its soundscape, offering a unique lens to explore how auditory environments shape identity and community.
As part of the NOISE® (New Outlooks in Sonic Environmental Resilience) research initiative, supported by Resilient Delta, this exhibition delves into Katendrecht’s auditory landscape. It reveals how sounds—from ship horns and distant traffic to local chatter—convey the rhythms of urban life and influence how people connect with their surroundings.
Through a combination of fieldwork and conversations with the local community, the relationship between sound and place has been investigated. This research highlights how layers of auditory cues and urban rhythms define the experience of a neighbourhood, shaping collective memory and individual perceptions.
The exhibition resulted in a multi-layered artwork by Nadia Nena, featuring several drawings that reflect the complexity of Katendrecht’s soundscape. The artwork weaves together three interconnected layers—space, sound, and perception—to capture the essence of how sound uniquely shapes place, identity, and memory in this vibrant, evolving neighbourhood.
NOISE® research team: Vincent Baptist, Sahar Asadollahi Asl Zarkhah, and Rosa de Kruif
Advisors: Maurice Harteveld and Mariëlle Beenackers.
Thanks to: Maurik Stomps, Bas Vahl, and Jesse Verdoes