Hunter Douglas timeline

Anyone walking through Rotterdam Centraal last week could hardly miss it: four large banners depicting the history of the site where IABR 2026 SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT is now taking place. The timeline has since been removed from the station, but it is now available to view online. 

The story begins long before Hunter Douglas—with a gallows field across the Maas River and a plague house that was ultimately never used for the plague. This was followed by steam engines, shipyards, thousands of workers, warships, aluminum, and Luxaflex. The site has continually evolved alongside Rotterdam. 

To create the timeline, we delved deep into history. IABR historical researcher Charlotte Meijssen mapped out the site’s development and collected historical maps, prints, photographs, and other archival material. From that deep dive emerged a four-part story showing how the landscape, the work, and the use of this place have changed over the centuries. 

SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT examines the systems that support our cities and what often remains out of sight. 

Curious about the whole story? Explore the timeline and journey through four panels, from the sixteenth century to the future of this part of Rotterdam.