A stunning rooftop walk in Rotterdam designed by MVRDV

A stunning rooftop walk in Rotterdam designed by MVRDV

On May 26, 2022, an impressive rooftop walk, designed by Dutch architectural firm MVRDV, was inaugurated in Rotterdam. The 600-meter-long aerial promenade was part of the 2022 edition of the Rotterdam Rooftop Festival, an event aimed “to show how rooftops can contribute to a healthy, lively, inclusive, attractive and resilient city”.
Reaching a height of 30 meters above the street level, MVRDV’s rooftop walk also included an audacious bridge that spanned Coolsingel, one of the most popular streets of central Rotterdam.
Walking up and down a network of staircases, visitors could reach some terraces on the rooftops of two buildings in the heart of the Dutch city – the podium of the WTC office tower, and the historic Bijenkorf department store designed by Marcel Breuer in 1956 – where they found displays, concerts, theatrical performances, talks, and special events.
The project was also intended to raise awareness of the potential uses of flat roofs as a solution to the lack of public spaces in large cities. The Rotterdam Rooftop Walk took place from May 26 through June 24, 2022.

Above and cover image: Rotterdam Rooftop Walk, 2022, photos © Ossip, courtesy of MDRDV.