Michela Sutter

R’damse Nieuwe came into my life when a small voice urged me: “After dedicating years to your career, isn’t it time to give back to the community?” (The voice said more but I’ll keep it family-friendly). As a Canadian landscape architect, living in Rotterdam has been a unique experience. Unlike Canada’s “untouched” landscapes, the Netherlands is a land where every square meter has seen a designer’s pen. Rotterdam’s bold, experimental approach to city building is a charismatic example of this, and one of the reasons I love it so much. However designers often fall into a top-down mentality when it comes to urban development. We should know by now that a bottom-up approach is how great cities are made, and this is where R’damse Nieuwe plays a role. As Jane Jacobs said, “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” I aim to use my time as a connector to amplify less-heard voices in tackling Rotterdam’s challenges and opportunities. If you’d like to chat over a drink or a walk, I’d be happy to find a great route!