De Wielewaal is a small neighborhood in Rotterdam which was developed in 1949 to reduce the housing shortage after the war. The homes were initially planned as semi-permanent housing, but many are still occupied.
De Wielewaal is located between the Kromme Zandweg in the north, the Schulpweg in the west, the Korperweg in the south and the Groene Kruisweg in the east. The district comprises 20 streets with originally a total of 545 homes. The majority of the houses have one floor.
Some of the houses have not been maintained as they were originally intended to last for about 25 years until more permanent houses were built. Now in a partial state of demolition, the municipality of Rotterdam planned that the homes would only remain until 2015. Many of the residents enjoy living in the area and have indicated by a large majority (95 percent) to develop their own plan “Van en Voor de Wielewaalers” to remain in the area. This plan means that on the current footprint the homes 1-on-1 will be replaced by new homes. This keeps the unique character of this district intact. In 2016, a part of the residents left their house and each abandoned house was completely closed off. T.
The name Wielewaal does not refer to the bird of the same name, but the nearby lakes Wiel en Waal, which originated in the Middle Ages at dike breaches.
These images reveal the uniqueness and the individuality of the buildings and area and attempt to preserve the community, before they are eventually demolished and replaced.
Marc Atkinson 