CTRL-N: Playing places
PLAYCMENT |ˈpleɪsm(ə)nt| - creating playful conditions to produce a particular challenge to the status quo
Every city, every neighbourhood and every street has its own maze of challenges and dependencies. Yet, they all belong to one system. Is it enough to change one thing to challenge the whole system?
Playing places is another edition of an annual festival CTRL-N. Six games inspired by the neighbourhood of Katendrecht and created by 30 interdisciplinary honours students of Erasmus University Rotterdam are intended to engage, speculate, transform and reflect on contemporary challenges.
Join the experience on the June 6th, 2025 in Verhalenhuis Belvédère and let yourself be immersed in another world that may change your way of thinking, doing or feeling. Scroll down for the program and register for the one that triggers your curiosity.
Game is just a starting point. Challenge is given. Transformation cannot be predicted.
Which challenge will make a difference?
The concept and visuals for this year’s CTRL+N are developed by Bogna Przybylska.
Friday JUNE 6, Verhalenhuis Belvédère (Rechthuislaan 1, 3072 LB Rotterdam-Katendrecht)
The Countdown
11:00-12:30h
What if aliens redesigned our cities; and left no place for us?
In this speculative escape experience, your team must navigate a world where familiar spaces have been overwritten by an unfamiliar order. As you search for traces of what once was, in food, culture, and creativity- you’ll face a deeper question: will you reclaim what was lost before time runs out?
Location: Verhalenhuis Belvédère (Rechthuislaan 1, 3072 LB Rotterdam-Katendrecht)
By: Sara Ykema, Manya Katyal, Mekayla Potgieter, Levi van der Vlies, Lorenzo Piola
What does it take to build a socially cohesive town?
11:00-12:30h
Step into the shoes of different community members and design Kartu- a town where everyone’s opinion matters. It is up to you to elect a mayor with a bold vision on developing this town. Who wins your vote? Work together with other Kartu residents to spend your shared budget wisely to design a neighbourhood for all.
Through map-building and collaboration, expect new perspectives on what it means to live well together.
By: Nisa Kara, Filip Jasik, Kovacs Lili, Thalia Dunz, Noja Rudenaite
The Trial of the Green Mind
15:00-16:30h
By order of law, your violations have mandated your exile to IS-109. This is a vital operation designed to relieve the overcrowded prison system and protect society from those who threaten its stability.
The island offers a controlled environment where individuals like you those deemed unfit can be managed efficiently, away from the distractions and chaos of the mainland. Its natural beauty is a facade meant to encourage cooperation and compliance.
Those who have gone before you have laid the groundwork.
They never returned. Their silence is a warning.
Here, traditional rules are suspended. You will be tested beyond ordinary limits. Survival depends on your ability to adapt.
Your cooperation is essential. Together, we build a safer, stronger future for all.
Do not trust their words. This place is a trap.
Welcome to IS-109. Where your fate is sealed.
– Dept. of Control & Compliance
By: Andrei Cucu, Ashley Venoaks, Florence Dogbe, Rosaly Gonzales Peres
Planet X
15:00-16:30h
Planet X pulls you into a world where trust is scarce, alliances shift, and survival depends on your next move. As Muskians and Avatars clash and collaborate, every mission reveals deeper mysteries—and test your judgment. Navigate moral dilemmas and the unpredictable terrain of this uncharted planet. What will your choices say about you?
By: Laila Kozarki, Amos Wijnberg, Augustin Dulon, Jasper Campagne Gimenez, Nikola Rajkovic
What if you were transported into Katendrecht in the 70s?
17:00-18:30h
The streets are full of bright lights, vibrant colours, loud music. Get ready to experience it all; from the systems of power to those oppressed by the stigma. Speak up. Get shut out. Leave your mark. See Katendrecht’s Red Light District from the eyes of the people who once used to run it, live it, and stop it.
By: Elina Guina, Evelina Kaushik, Davide Stefanazzi, Inga Turzhova, Francesca Villanueva
City of Motives
17:00-18:30h
Didn’t you always want to change your neighborhood to a place exactly how you like it? Step into the “City of Motives”; compete, deceive and negotiate to take over the city. But can you trust your neighbors? Find out who’s truly on your side.
This game requires you to bring your best role playing skills. English on a communicative level is required.
By: Emelie Kaml, Filippos Panagiotakis, Aleksandra Piejko, Hannes Schatzle, Johanna Theis