De Doelen - Green/Bleu Roof

The icon of Rotterdam's reconstruction, the national monument De Doelen, is being radically preserved as part of the international 7 Square Endeavour project. The mission of this international preservation initiative is to make the environment ready for the future. The Schouwburgplein in Rotterdam is the first test case in a series of 7 locations worldwide. The adverse effects of urbanization such as pollution, heat stress and flooding must be counteracted. The area must be 100% climate neutral by 2030.

Concert and congress building De Doelen will be the first to be equipped with a green and blue roof. It will also be possible to organize small events on a stage on the roof at the Schouwburgplein, in the greenery and with a view of the city. The background decor is formed by the beautiful copper and monumental roof structure of the main hall.

The green and blue roof buffers water in crates under the greenery, thus contributing to the prevention of flooding. The stored water feeds the plants and, with the greenery, contributes to cooling the building. The entire roof combats heat stress and thus contributes to greening the city, purifying the air and storing CO2. The lushly designed green roof landscape is designed in a geometric pattern that matches the orthogonal layout of the Concertgebouw.

The roof design has been coordinated with the Cultural Heritage Agency and is a fine example of how national monuments can be made more sustainable and contribute to making our urban environment more livable.