harry hoek - Chess set - Rotterdam schaakspel

Now it's Rotterdam's turn.

Harry Hoek, designer of the Rotterdam Chess Game, on the creation of his brainchild.

Since the 1990s he has been involved with the Rotterdam Chess Game. Harry Hoek, born and raised in Schipluiden, would like to explain what motivates a non-Rotterdammer to devote years of his life to this project. “I work at the Rotterdam Public Library as an organizer and curator of exhibitions, but I live in Schiedam. For years I have been cycling to work every day and I admire the distinctive architecture of Rotterdam.”

Alexander Calder travelling chess set 1942
Travel chess set by Alexander Calder from 1942

Love
Okay, that explains the love for the buildings, but why a chess set then? “Back in the day, as a boy, I played a lot of chess myself. And several designers I admire have also designed chess sets.” The famous American sculptor Alexander Calder is one of them. There is only one sculpture of Calder to be found in the Netherlands, and it stands in Rotterdam: Le Tamanoir from 1963. Calder, himself an avid chess player, designed a travel chess set in 1942.

Back to Harry. He had been mulling over the idea of a chess game made from Rotterdam buildings, but there was no suitable queen. Only with the arrival of the elegant Erasmus Bridge in 1996 did he find her. He developed the first version of the Rotterdam Chess Game in a non-abstract form. It turned out to be too expensive to bring this chess game to market, but the Chess Pieces Museum has a specimen of this unique design in its collection.

Sleek buildings as inspiration
The chess game lay in the cupboard for years, gathering dust, until Harry, on one of his bike rides, saw the new Shipping and Transport College. 'The shape of that sleek building really resembles the shape of the knight in chess. I got inspired again and started looking for more new buildings that share similarities with chess pieces. The World Trade Center and Building de Maas, located at Boompjes, fit perfectly into this picture.' For the pawns, the Cube Houses would be ideal, and thus the idea for an abstract chess game was born. Harry found it not only more beautiful but also easier to make. And easier is cheaper, something that was badly needed.

Together with his business partner Carel van der Poel, he spent years canvassing companies and (sub-)municipalities to raise money. Everyone thought it was a great and wonderful idea, but not enough money came in. Harry and Carel therefore submitted in 2008 the design of the chess game, but in XL size for street use, to RotterdamIdee. This is an initiative by the city to realize ideas from its residents. The Great Rotterdam Chess Game became one of the selected ideas, and the gentlemen received start-up capital of €5,000 to implement the design.


The Rotterdam Chess Game by Harry Hoek

Essential role of Schaakstukkenmuseum
Thanks to the indispensable financial support of the Chess Pieces Museum, the XL version could be realized, and during Rotterdam's Museum Night 2010 the game was festively unveiled. “There are now two XL editions in the city, at the Chess Pieces Museum and at the Public Library, where it is played daily. The reactions are very positive,” Harry says proudly. Together with Carel he will now devote himself to getting the XL game placed also in schools and, hopefully, at Rotterdam-The Hague Airport. In addition to the XL edition, since December 2010 there has also been a table edition of the Rotterdams Chess Game for sale, a true work of art and a collector's item.