JUNE IS ARCHITECTURE MONTH IN ROTTERDAM

The story of Rotterdam – its history, WWII and the reconstruction – says a lot about the fertile conditions for flourishing architecture. After all, if nothing’s left, why not build on a grand and compelling scale? The courage that was and is shown in design and the granting of commissions to architects can be seen everywhere in Rotterdam, and in June, we celebrate with Rotterdam Architecture Month, the largest architecture festival in the Netherlands. Instead of looking to the past, this festival celebrates the future. Do allow time during your visit to Breakbulk to check out these must-visit highlights.

Floating Festival Heart In The Maashaven

This year’s theme for Rotterdam Architecture Month is Liquid City. Rotterdam is a port city on two banks, so surrounded and saturated by water. The floating festival heart brings together complex challenges relating to water and climate in concrete urban solutions. The heart consists of three huge floating barges creatively designed by Studio Marco Vermeulen.

One platform has been transformed into a green park where visitors can relax and immerse themselves in architecture during events such as lectures, debates, and film screenings. The other platform offers urban sports activities such as freerunning and calisthenics in collaboration with renowned designer and freerunner Onur Eren. The three platforms are connected by a footbridge and offer a unique view over the Maashaven and the rest of the city as well as demonstrating the potential of water. The Rotterdam Architecture Month festival heart provides an unforgettable experience for anyone interested in architecture, urban planning, and urban sports.

Art Over The City

Rotterdamse Dakendagen transforms the six football fields of space on top of shopping mall Zuidplein into an art park.Enter the rooftop via staircases and once you are up, you can wind your way along an 850-meter-long art route on various heights.