OMI Rotterdam

What OMI Rotterdam does

OMI Rotterdam (legal name: OMI Office for Metropolitan Information) is a Rotterdam-based non-profit cultural organization founded in 2015 and co-initiated by Perplekcity and Ossip Architecture Photography. The organization presents architecture and urban development through exhibitions, workshops, city walks, film screenings, and lectures, viewed through the perspectives of artists, photographers, residents, and architects. Its programming is anchored in a single physical exhibition venue at Schietbaanstraat 21 (open Thursday-Saturday, 13:00-18:00) and city-wide events such as the ZigZagCity festival and Day and Night of Architecture.

Its core offerings include rotating exhibitions (e.g., Building Bridges, House Hunting, This Must be the Place), paid workshops priced at €5 per person, and the Verhalenatlas (Story Atlas), a digital archive delivering audio, visual, and background stories about Rotterdam's built environment. The technology stack is modest and non-proprietary: WooCommerce for ticketing and merchandise, Mollie for payments, and Google Analytics for web analytics. The team comprises roughly seven people — a director (Pieter Kuster), program and exhibition leads, production, freelance copywriter, and a photographer — overseen by a three-member supervisory board.

OMI's business model combines low-ticket workshop and event revenue with grant funding (e.g., from 100 Years of Volkskracht) and likely cultural subsidies, serving three overlapping audiences: general architecture and city culture enthusiasts, creative professionals (artists, architects, photographers), and Rotterdam residents engaged in neighborhood storytelling. No venture funding, equity rounds, or commercial licensing is disclosed; revenue is not publicly reported.

Name

OMI Rotterdam

Legal name

OMI Office for Metropolitan Information

Website

https://omirotterdam.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

OMI Rotterdam is a Dutch non-profit cultural organization that presents architecture and urban development through exhibitions, workshops, city walks, and the Story Atlas digital platform, serving Rotterdam residents, design professionals, and city culture enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Programming (Architecture and Urbanism)

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

akta.pro primary industry

Exhibition & Trade Show Management (Conference-Adjacent) (THAHACAF)

Keywords

• Architecture exhibitions
• Cultural event programming
• Urban development tours
• Architectural workshops
• City culture activities

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales and Event Revenue: OMI generates revenue through ticket sales for workshops, tours, and special events. The organization also sells products through its online store using WooCommerce and payment system Mollie.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

OMI Rotterdam is a non-profit cultural organization that curates exhibitions, workshops, city walks, and signature city-wide events focused on architecture, urbanism, and city culture in Rotterdam. It also operates the Verhalenatlas (Story Atlas), a digital platform documenting the layered stories of the city's built environment, and sells related publications and merchandise through an online webshop.

Product overview

OMI Rotterdam is a cultural organization (Office for Metropolitan Information) focused on architecture and urban development, offering exhibitions, workshops, city tours, and cultural events in Rotterdam. Their core offering is the Verhalenatlas (Story Atlas) - a digital platform making architectural and cultural stories accessible through audio, visual and background narratives. OMI operates from its location on Schietbaanstraat, presenting programs that explore the city through the eyes of artists, photographers, residents and architects. The organization does not operate as a technology product company with APIs, modules, or software products - it is a cultural/public space institution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• This Must be the Place An exhibition by OMI Rotterdam exploring architecture and city culture themes for the general public and cultural visitors in Rotterdam.
• House Hunting An OMI Rotterdam exhibition addressing architecture and urban living themes for the general public and cultural visitors.
• Building Bridges An OMI Rotterdam exhibition focused on architecture and urbanism themes for cultural visitors and the general public.
• Mapping Vacancy A low-cost workshop (€5 per person) by OMI Rotterdam engaging participants in mapping urban vacancy, targeting residents and culture enthusiasts.
• Rotterdam City Tours and Walks Guided architectural and urban walks across Rotterdam organized by OMI Rotterdam for residents and visitors.
• Day and Night of Architecture A signature city-wide cultural event organized by OMI Rotterdam celebrating architecture and urbanism across Rotterdam, open to the general public.
• ZigZagCity A recurring signature city event organized by OMI Rotterdam engaging the public with Rotterdam's urban and architectural environment.
• Verhalenatlas (Story Atlas) A digital platform by OMI Rotterdam that maps layered stories of Rotterdam's built environment, accessible to the public as a cultural resource.

Quantifiable outcome

• 79% less CO2 emissions compared to conventional new-build developments through alternative housing strategies

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PerplekcitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerplekcity is a co-initiator of OMI, alongside Ossip Architecture Photography, providing the organizational foundation for the platform.
• Ossip Architecture PhotographycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOssip Architecture Photography is a co-initiator of OMI, providing photographic expertise and creative direction for the platform's city explorations.
• 100 Years of VolkskrachtminorOthers100 Years of Volkskracht contributed to funding the Rotterdam Verhalenatlas (Story Atlas), an initiative that makes architectural and cultural stories accessible through audio, visual, and background stories.
• Stadsarchief RotterdamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal archive contributing historical materials and documentation for exhibitions like Building Bridges.
• Nai010 UitgeversminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublisher partner for books and publications related to Rotterdam's architecture and urban development.
• Open RotterdamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia partner providing coverage and visibility for OMI's exhibitions and events.
• Stadsarchief RotterdamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Story Atlas project, contributing archival materials and historical documentation.
• Nieuwe InstituutminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing to the Story Atlas project with archival materials from its collections.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Copenhagen Architecture Center (DAC): Danish center for architecture and urban development with exhibitions, tours, and educational programming. Direct peer with comparable focus on engaging the public with architecture and city-making.
• Aedes Architecture Forum: Berlin-based architecture gallery presenting exhibitions on contemporary architecture and urban topics. Direct peer as a specialized architecture presentation space with rotating curated content and city-tied programming.
• Het Nieuwe Instituut: National museum and institute for architecture, design, and digital culture located in Rotterdam. The most direct peer as both organizations focus on architecture and urban development in the same city, with overlapping audiences and shared institutional partnerships.
• Chicago Architecture Center (CAC): US center for architecture education and exhibitions based in Chicago. Direct peer with programming including tours, exhibitions, and educational events targeting both residents and visitors.
• Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA): International research center and museum for architecture in Montreal. Direct peer with comparable focus on architecture exhibitions, research, public programming, and documentation of urban history.
• Stroom Den Haag: Art and architecture center in The Hague with exhibitions, publications, and public programs focused on urban development and contemporary art. Direct peer in the Dutch architecture and culture landscape with overlapping programmatic ambitions.
• Architekturzentrum Wien (Az W): Vienna's architecture museum presenting architecture to broad audiences through exhibitions, events, and publications. Direct peer as a city-focused architecture and urban development institution with rotating programming.
• Architecture Foundation (London): UK charity that promotes architectural thinking through public programs, exhibitions, and city-wide events. Direct peer with a similar mission of engaging the public with architecture and urban development through experimental programming.
• Flanders Architecture Institute (VAI): Belgian institute documenting and presenting Flemish architecture through exhibitions, publications, and events. Direct peer in the European architecture documentation and presentation space with a similar public-engagement mandate.
• ARCAM (Amsterdam Centre for Architecture): Amsterdam-based architecture center that presents exhibitions and events on architecture and urban development. Direct peer operating a similar programming model of exhibitions, talks, and city tours in another major Dutch city.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/omirotterdam
• Facebookfacebook.com/OMIRotterdam
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/omi-rotterdam
• Instagraminstagram.com/omirotterdam

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OMI Rotterdam