Studio VollaersZwart, Mothership, Arttenders, Hiphop In Je Smoel and Flowerdales Agency are responsible for the city’s artistic 2021 Eurovision Song Contest decorations. “It will soon literally be impossible for anyone not to notice that the Eurovision Song Contest will be taking place in Rotterdam this spring as a result of this impressive line-up of internationally renowned city dressers”, according to Rotterdam’s Eurovision Song Contest organisers (Host City Rotterdam), who are certainly very happy to be renewing their collaboration with these five creative parties again.
ESF Citydressing f.l.t.r.: Madje Vollaers; Pascal Zwart (VollaersZwart); Jeroen Everaert (Mothership); Dave Geensen (HIJS); Anne Bloemendaal (Flowerdales); Faye Ellen (Arttenders); Siobhan Burger (Arttenders)
Rotterdam is all set to be beautifully decorated in the Eurovision Song Contest colours this spring. Posters, banners and video screens in and around the city will be displaying the official 2021 Eurovision Song Contest Open Up artwork for a two week period. In addition to this traditional city dressing, Rotterdam will also be presenting a variety of artistic decorations in collaboration with five creative city dressers, ranging from fashion and photography to light art, street art and various installations.
Rotterdam will open up again
The artists’ plans came to an abrupt end last year when the coronavirus decided to make its entrance. “We asked the artists to review their plans and adjust them in line with the various different scenarios,’ according to Annemieke van Wegen-Delhaas, Host City Rotterdam’s city branding & city dressing project manager. “This allowed us to arrive at a hybrid city dressing plan, which will result in an incredible Eurovision Song Contest experience in the city, regardless of the restrictions in place. Initially mainly digitally and remotely, but they will hopefully be able to gradually start working towards increased visibility in Rotterdam’s streets and living rooms too. Rotterdam will OPEN UP again!”
Arttenders x Cindy Bakker, The Splash (2021)
The Shape of Rotterdam – The Splash
Faye Ellen and Siobhan Burger from the creative agency Arttenders are the first to unveil their artistic plan for the city. Their brand new The Shape of Rotterdam concept, or rather art objects, was designed as a multifunctional interpretation of Rotterdam’s outdoor space. The object, entitled The Splash, will be erected on the Annie M.G. Schmidtplein in the Hart van Zuid in April and will also be able to serve as a stage for the Rotterdam City Programme. The design was created together with the Rotterdam artist Cindy Bakker.
Siobhan Burger: “The design was created earlier this year together with the residents and entrepreneurs around the square, the Hart van Zuid developers and the Municipality of Rotterdam, with the aim of creating a positive and special place where people can meet and where – if at all possible – performances can take place too. I am very pleased the Eurovision Song Contest has accelerated the development process and that the design is now ready to be used as a potential stage for the City Programme. And how great is this: the design will stay in place for several months after the Eurovision Song Contest too”.
SING ALONG CITY
Studio Vollaerszwart, Sing Along City (2021)
Studio VollaersZwart is now also more than ready to roll out its SING ALONG CITY concept. We are already familiar with this renowned design duo as result of their The Tunnel of Love and Goldstream designs, as well as the city dressing around the IFFR and North Sea Jazz festivals. SING ALONG CITY’s design is based on a medley of lyrics from winning songs and international flags, which mark the route from Rotterdam CS to Rotterdam Ahoy like a continuous ribbon. The flyovers and metro stations will also be beautifully highlighted in collaboration with the RET.
“This will create a visual musical wave through the city”, according to Madje Vollaers. “SING ALONG CITY marks the architecture, whilst simultaneously also enticing people to interact. The city is the setting in which both visitors and residents will be playing the leading roles.” In addition, VollaersZwart had already appealed to Dutch fashion designers last year, in an attempt to design a fashion piece from old national flags.
The designs will be executed in the near future.