CTRL-N: Sensory Overload
Sensory Overload |ˈsɛnspɛktɪŋ|- a counter to ocularcentrism; the practice of inspecting one's environment in all its multiplicity using all our senses, beyond the dominance of sight
Sensepecting is about making place for our other senses apart from vision. It is about learning to approach life with caution and attentiveness. Through the example of Katendrecht, we invite people to take on different perspectives, by using their senses in various ways to experience and understand the neighbourhood, its stories and how it changed over time.
CTRL-N: Sensory Overload is the sixth edition of the annual CTRL-N event hosted by the Grand Challenges Honours Programme of Erasmus University Rotterdam.
During this interdisciplinary programme, students engaged with the city and challenged the ordinary form of sensing by constantly taking on alternative perspectives.
CTRL-N: Sensory Overload takes place on the 12th of June in Verhalenhuis Belvedere, Katendrecht. The doors at Verhalenhuis will open at 10:30, please pre-register yourself down below.
Hopefully, this will just be your start of sensepecting Katendrecht or your local neighbourhood. We are looking forward to sensepecting alongside you.
Friday JUNE 12, Verhalenhuis Belvédère (Rechthuislaan 1, 3072 LB Rotterdam-Katendrecht)
Natural intelligence
10:45-11:30h
Katendrecht has shifted from a working, industrial port to a carefully curated urban landscape. In this transformation, materials have changed too. Raw, organic, and weathered surfaces replaced by synthetic, polished substitutes.
Blindfolded, you will encounter textures and scents drawn from the neighborhood – from grass and wood to plastic and cleaning products. Without relying on your sight, will you be able to distinguish the natural from the synthetic?
This sensory experience invites you to reflect on how we perceive the city today, and whether, in changing our environment, we might also be losing touch with nature itself.
Location: Verhalenhuis Belvédère (Rechthuislaan 1, 3072 LB Rotterdam-Katendrecht)
By: Chiara, Milena, Micol
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