ROTTERDAM, 28 March 2023 - Matelief, a maritime-themed restaurant, has opened in Rotterdam's Oude Haven. Named after 16th-century female shipowner Maria Matelief, the establishment offers a diverse menu and stunning views of Willemsbrug and Witte Huis.

In Rotterdam's picturesque Oude Haven, the restaurant Matelief has opened its doors. Located directly on the water with a terrace, it offers views of the ships, the Witte Huis, and the Willemsbrug. The iconic location has celebrated Rotterdam's seafaring history with artwork depicting sea heroes by artist Barre Verkerke. The restaurant, once the Maritime Pub, has undergone an extensive renovation.

Spokesperson Pablo Cortes Garcia has discussed the transformed establishment, noting its well-designed interior, diverse menu, and scenic views as key features for visitors to enjoy: “After an intensive renovation, we can now proudly welcome our guests. We worked very hard with the team to create a beautiful restaurant. From the interior to the menu and the beautiful view; Matelief is the place to enjoy the Rotterdam summer.”

A business with a story: Maria Matelief

The name Matelief may ring a bell with historians. Maria Matelief – after her marriage Maria Musch - was born in Rotterdam in the late 1500s. The widow of a herring merchant and with seven children, she managed to hold her own in the male-dominated shipping world. “The character of Rotterdam shipping and that of Maria Matelief are reflected in the restaurant. The interior is bold thanks to the bright colours and bold art on the walls. The menu is tough, with lots of appetisers, fish dishes and strong, matching beers. At the same time, there is also a soft and feminine side; this is reflected in the warm lighting plan, the sophistication of the dishes and through the round shapes of the bar and benches.” Tells Pablo about Matelief.

Matelief opens its doors in Rotterdam's Oude Haven

More than seafood

Thanks to the extensive drinks and dinner menu, there is something for everyone to choose from at Matelief. The menu includes quality fish dishes, such as roasted halibut with ratatouille and a whole dorado from the grill. For meat lovers, the menu includes a tender beef ribeye with chimichurri and a guinea fowl fillet with gnocchi. Prefer no fish or meat? Even then, there are ample choice, such as grilled pumpkin with candied onion cream or jackfruit shoarma.

Matelief opens its doors in Rotterdam's Oude Haven

ROTTERDAM, 28 March 2023 – 'A different kind of fashion exhibition'. Workwear opened with a spectacular fashion show at the Nieuwe Instituut.

Workwear opened at the Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam last weekend. The exhibition by curator Eldina Begic pays tribute to workwear; once intended to protect wearers during hard work, but nowadays unimaginable from the streets or the catwalk. The festive opening on Saturday evening also featured a unique fashion show put together by designer Ninamounah.

Functional workwear

At the Nieuwe Instituut's Workwear exhibition, visitors dive into the world of functional workwear. Curator Eldina Begic selected dozens of vintage classics, current looks and futuristic experiments from all over the world. They show the beauty of functionality, but also demonstrate that workwear exudes solidarity and equality and served as inspiration for countless artists and fashion designers worldwide. They are creations we see today both on the catwalk and in everyone's wardrobe.

Two Rotterdammers also created new works especially for the exhibition, exploring the future of workwear. Designer Sam Cruden of custom jeans brand C.Cruden created an installation focusing on the life cycle of jeans. Spoken word artist Elten Kiene wrote a workwear manifesto for this exhibition, which he recites on a video screen.

Workwear exhibition at Nieuwe Instituut Rotterdam

Opening with a unique fashion show and party

For the festive opening on Saturday evening, the Nieuwe Instituut transformed the arcade behind the building into a huge catwalk. Here, for some 300 visitors, the fashion show Wearwork took place, which designer Ninamounah of the eponymous fashion label put together for the occasion. Up-and-coming labels Hardeman, Kaam Kari LA, Schepers Bosman, Das Leben am Haverkamp, HEH, Pablo Salvador Willemars and Camiel Fortgens designed their own interpretations of workwear especially for the fashion show.
 
After the fashion show, the Nieuwe Instituut's exhibition was open for all to see for the first time, followed by a party in the Nieuwe Café where Elten Kiene recited his workwear manifesto live and Sam Cruden took place behind the turntables.
 
The Workwear exhibition can be visited in Gallery 2 of the Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam until 10 September 2023. 

ROTTERDAM, 23 March 2023 – Chinese electric car manufacturer NIO has opened the first NIO House in the Netherlands, located in the city of Rotterdam. The NIO House offers a unique approach to showcasing the brand's models, focusing on community engagement and creating a space where visitors can relax, work, and hold meetings while experiencing the brand's electric vehicles live.

Design and Layout of the NIO House

The NIO House in Rotterdam was designed by Rotterdam-based architecture firm MVRDV, inspired by the city's rugged character and the NIO brand's sophisticated aesthetic. The NIO House consists of seven main zones, with a terrazzo-like floor gradually changing color from white to warm caramel, separating the Gallery, where visitors can experience NIO's models, from the other zones. The Lounge features a long 'crane table' that hangs from pulleys, while several Meeting Rooms are available for business purposes. In the Library, visitors can relax and learn, while children can play in the Children's Hub.

First NIO House of the Netherlands opens doors in Rotterdam

NIO Life and Art Gallery

NIO Life, the company's lifestyle brand, is also featured in the NIO House, offering sustainable products created in collaboration with more than 600 independent designers and globally renowned institutions. Additionally, the NIO House includes an Art Gallery, where visitors can experience work by a different artist every three months. The first artist to exhibit his work is Rotterdam-based artist Jelmer Konjo, who created 'upcycled' works using materials used in the construction of the NIO House.

First NIO House of the Netherlands opens doors in Rotterdam

NIO Café and Local Community Engagement

The NIO House also features a NIO Café, where visitors can enjoy coffee, breakfast, and lunch. The barista of the NIO Café provides the NIO House Drink, a mocktail specially composed by NIO and inspired by the city in which the House is located. In the case of the Netherlands, the drink is called Dutch Courage, containing ingredients such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, which have historical significance to the port of Rotterdam.

NIO distinguishes itself with a unique approach that places the local community at the center of its operation, with NIO Houses serving as meeting places and art galleries, in addition to showrooms. Ruben Keuter, General Manager of NIO Netherlands, sees the opening of the NIO House as a significant moment for the company, as it showcases the brand to the Dutch public and welcomes them to a space where they can meet other users, find inspiration, and learn about everything NIO has to offer.

First NIO House of the Netherlands opens doors in Rotterdam

NIO's future plans

NIO has now opened more than 100 Houses worldwide, with the Rotterdam location being the first in the Netherlands. NIO plans to launch the NIO ET5 and open a NIO House in Amsterdam later this year, with five more European branches to follow by the end of 2023. After the launch of the brand at the end of last year, NIO has already introduced two models in the Netherlands, and the company's innovative battery swap stations allow users to change their battery for a full one within minutes.

ROTTERDAM, 22 March 2023 – City Council is making a concerted effort to support entrepreneurs.

As of today, Rotterdam has an SME action programme. This morning it was presented by economics alderman Robert Simons. The aim of the programme: to help 10,000 entrepreneurial challenges with good municipal services and practical tools to make Rotterdam entrepreneurs future-proof.

During the past period, entrepreneurs were asked what they need. The action programme focuses on this: making plans and policies based on the entrepreneur, clear online and offline information and communication and tackling the office jungle. Obviously, entrepreneurs do not want to be sent from pillar to post. The plan also focuses on helping entrepreneurs to be future-proof because energy transition and raw material scarcity are major challenges for them.

Alderman Robert Simons (Economy, among other things): “Rotterdam's SMEs deserve an action programme that is fully tailored to their needs. After all, SMEs are the backbone of Rotterdam's economy. With 230,000 jobs, the 20,000 SMEs provide 60% of employment in Rotterdam. I am happy that this plan is in place, and I hope we can help many entrepreneurs further with what they are so good at: doing business.”

Better services

To improve services, there will be a team for complex questions, among other things. In this way, the municipality will ensure that entrepreneurial questions are dealt with quickly and integrally. There will be an SME test for new policies and complex permits, and products will be made SME-proof. Ondernemen010.nl will become even more of a central location for information from the municipality and partners, and a live chat will be available for employees to ask questions during office hours. With the 1-entry principle and better cooperation behind the scenes, entrepreneurs will be able to avoid being redirected through the municipal organisation with their questions.

Future-proof entrepreneurship

To make entrepreneurs more future-proof, the municipality deploys subsidy coaches, who can help them find their way to subsidies and financing. Rotterdam is also working hard to ensure that Rotterdam SMEs take part in international trade missions. The success of the 'klusbus' (handyman bus) providing energy-saving measures will be continued: other shopping areas will soon be served as well. In addition, entrepreneurs can apply for sustainability vouchers for an energy or roof scan worth €800.