Real Rotterdam Walk
The Markthal, the Cube Houses, the skyline along the Maas. These are the landmarks every visitor to Rotterdam photographs. Yet just a few streets away, the city reveals very different stories. During the Real Rotterdam Walk, UX researcher, local poet, and born-and-raised Rotterdammer Randy Semeleer takes you on an evening walk through the city and scratches beneath the surface of Rotterdam.
Along the way, Randy shares stories that reveal the layers of the city, through history, culture, and innovation. From the early settlement, through medieval growth and wartime destruction, to the rebuilding and rise of the modern city we see today, and the cultural diversity that continues to shape Rotterdam.
You will also encounter places that show Rotterdam’s experimental spirit, a city that has long served as a testing ground for new ideas in architecture, urban development, and city life.
This relaxed evening walk is a chance to step away from the conference for a moment, stretch your legs, clear your head, and discover a side of Rotterdam that many visitors never get to see.
Thursday 16th of april
The Real Rotterdam Walk takes you beyond the well-known landmarks and into the layers of the city. From its early beginnings and wartime history to its modern identity as a place of experimentation, diversity, and innovation.
It’s a chance to:
- step away from the conference
- stretch your legs and reset
- connect with others in a smaller group
- discover a side of Rotterdam many visitors never see
Group size: 20–25 people
Start From: The Usual Rotterdam, Westblaak 10 Rotterdam
Starting Time: Thursday 16th of April at 19:00
Duration: 1 hour
About Randy Semeleer
Randy Semeleer is a UX researcher, local poet, and born-and-raised Rotterdammer with a strong interest in cities, people, culture, and the way environments shape how we experience and use them.
Over the years, he has built deep expertise in qualitative user research, accessibility, and research operations, helping organizations better understand the needs and behaviors of their users. Randy has also worked as a podcast host and producer, including creating a well listened-to podcast series on digital accessibility for Gebruiker Centraal, also known as User Needs First.
Beyond his professional work in UX, Randy has long been active in building communities around usability and user research, bringing practitioners together to share knowledge and improve digital experiences.
At UX Rotterdam, Randy brings those perspectives together in the Real Rotterdam Walk, an evening side activity that offers attendees a more personal, grounded, and local view of the city.
