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Guiding Architects, tour: From Harbours to Highrises (Fig. 1)
Guiding Architects, tour: From Harbours to Highrises (Fig. 2)
Guiding Architects, tour: From Harbours to Highrises (Fig. 3)
Guiding Architects, tour: From Harbours to Highrises (Fig. 4)
Guiding Architects, tour: From Harbours to Highrises (Fig. 5)
Guiding Architects, tour: From Harbours to Highrises (Fig. 6)
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From Harbours to Highrises: Anneke Bokern (Thumbnail)
Anneke Bokern
Almere, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht

Anneke Bokern is an architecture journalist and writer based in Amsterdam. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, she studied History of Art and Architecture in Berlin. She moved to the Netherlands in 2000 and has been writing about architecture and urban development for German and international publications including Bauwelt, Baumeister, Topos and DETAIL ever since. She is also the author of several books on Dutch architecture.

Her passion for Dutch building culture led her to found architour in 2004 and co-found the Guiding Architects Network, making her one of the pioneers of professionally guided architecture tours in the Netherlands.

She develops programmes, curates tours, and leads groups in English, German, and Dutch, and continues to write and publish on Dutch architecture.

anneke-bokern.com

From Harbours to Highrises: Paul Vlok (Thumbnail)
Paul Vlok
Almere, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht

Paul is an experienced architect and lecturer. Born in Utrecht, the Netherlands, he graduated from TU Delft with an honours degree in Architecture in 1995.

In the years that followed, Paul worked for several Dutch architecture firms, contributing to projects in urban extensions and renewal areas. His work has consistently focused on housing and urban planning.

Since 2018, Paul has been a partner at architour. He develops and organises programmes and leads tours in English, Dutch and German. He also teaches at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture.

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Tour in Rotterdam:
From Harbours to Highrises

Rotterdam has undergone significant change in recent decades as its port has gradually moved away from the city centre, leaving behind large areas of underused industrial land. These spaces now present an opportunity for urban regeneration, and the approach to redevelopment ranges from large-scale, top-down planning to more organic, community-driven efforts. The shift from industrial waterfronts to a mixed-use urban landscape is particularly evident in  Kop van Zuid. This former harbour area has seen significant changes, with a focus on residential highrises, new architectural interventions, and an emphasis on connecting the city with the river Maas. Now gentrification has reached the once-industrial Katendrecht peninsula, which was historically known for its red-light district. Today, this area is seeing a mix of residential and commercial redevelopment, with projects such as the Fenix Lofts offering an example of how old warehouses can be repurposed to meet modern living standards. Just next door there’s another warehouse conversion, featuring one of the most spectacular recent additions to the skyline: the FENIX museum of migration.

This tour takes you through the waterfront area, showcasing the range of architectural styles and planning approaches that define Rotterdam’s ongoing urban evolution. From old warehouses to new highrises and self-build projects, this is a chance to explore how Rotterdam is transforming its urban fabric.

  • Duration: 3 hours

  • Transport: walking

  • Services: experienced local architect as guide

  • Languages: Dutch, English, German or French

  • Group size: max. 25 participants per guide

Projects:

  • Explanations about history and future of the transformed harbour peninsula

  • Erasmus bridge (UNStudio, 1996)

  • Wilhelminapier, incl. mixed-use highrise De Rotterdam (OMA, 2013), Luxor Theatre (Bolles & Wilson, 2000), highrise New Orleans (Alvaro Siza, 2010), warehouse Las Palmas (Van den Broek en Bakema, 1953 / Benthem Crouwel, 2010), cruise terminal (Van den Broek en Bakema, 1948), warehouse/hotel Pakhuismeesteren (1941/AWG, 2018)

  • Floating Office: world’s first floating office building with timber construction (Powerhouse Company, 2022)

  • Walk across Rijnhaven bridge (Quist Wintermans, 2014) to Katendrecht

  • Warehouse top-up Fenix Lofts (Mei Architects, 2019)

  • FENIX museum with lookout on the roof (MAD Architects, 2025)

architour is led by Anneke Bokern and Paul Vlok. We currently have a team of 18 guides, based in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Eindhoven.

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Guiding Architects
Guiding Architects, tour: From Harbours to Highrises (Fig. 7)

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Guiding Architects, tour: From Harbours to Highrises (Fig. 8)
Guiding Architects, tour: From Harbours to Highrises (Fig. 9)
Guiding Architects, tour: From Harbours to Highrises (Fig. 10)
Guiding Architects, tour: From Harbours to Highrises (Fig. 11)
Guiding Architects, tour: From Harbours to Highrises (Fig. 12)
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