The Rotterdam Rooftop Walk (26 May – 24 June)

Cross the Coolsingel at a great height, without any queues or shopping. This will be possible from 26 May on the Rotterdam Rooftop Walk, a route at roof level organised by Rotterdamse Dakendagen (more info below). A major element of the experience is the airlift between the WTC Rotterdam building and the roof of the Bijenkorf department store. In addition to the unique view that this elevated walk offers, you will be able to see many examples of the innovative use of roofs with your own eyes: green roofs, energy-generating roofs, climate-adaptive roofs, recreational roofs – you name it! In their own inimitable innovative fashion, Rotterdam’s roofs make an essential contribution to the healthy and progressive future of the city. Tickets are available online and cost € 3.50.

The Podium: 1 June – 17 August

Rotterdam Architecture Month and Het Nieuwe Instituut have joined forces to create The Podium; a unique, temporary and brightly coloured vantage point. The Podium, or city stage, which is also the festival heart of Rotterdam Architecture Month, was designed by MVRDV architects. The Podium provides a daily programme of events about architecture, ranging from lectures and discussions to films and workshops, but the venue is also freely accessible by means of a lift and a gigantic staircase which runs along the facade of the epoch-making building. Whether you have a passion for architecture or not, the site offers a great opportunity to experience the architecture of the city of Rotterdam and the Museum Park in a truly unique way. Don’t miss the unique view in the direction of the reflective Boijmans Van Beuningen Depot; book a ticket without delay!

Rotterdamse Dakendagen (2 – 5 June)

Rotterdamse Dakendagen have grown into a Rotterdam highlight which comes round each year and offers you the chance of an exploratory trip high above the streets. For this year, thrilling routes have been mapped out along several roofs, with each one featuring a surprising way of using the space and reflecting on it. This year too there is a central roof where you can go to for music, snacks, drinks and socialising. Please use this link for information about the programme, as well as to buy tickets! Tip: in Rooftopics, Léon van der Geest (festival director of Rotterdamse Dakendagen) will be interviewing makers and visionaries about (and on) the most innovative roofs in Rotterdam. By way of example, listen to the interview with architect Winy Maas (MVRDV).

Exhibition (T)Huis

In Het Nieuwe Instituut rather than on it, right under the pink platform of The Podium, you can visit (T)Huis, the main exhibition of Rotterdam Architecture Month, free of charge. The question of exactly what makes a house a home is the key. Is it the dwelling itself? Is it the neighbourhood or the city? And what makes a living environment an agreeable place where you feel at home? These questions are considered from a spatial perspective – after all, we are still talking about the month of architecture… The exhibition is about the future of dwelling and living in a city; a diverse subject to which we can all relate.

The Day and Night of Architecture: 18 & 19 June

During the Day and Night of Architecture you will be able to enjoy – literally in a new light – modern classics like Het Witte Huis, the renowned reconstruction architecture of, for example, Het Industriegebouw and impressive high-rise buildings like the Zalmhaven tower! You may want to visit these classics before the opening hour, or climb to the top of brand new high-rise buildings in the heat of the day, and in the afternoon you can recover in the lounges of modernistic hotels, while the classics will be key as from sunset. As night falls, the time comes to highlight the fringes of the city. In short, don’t miss this chance to see the built-up area in an entirely different light. Explore by yourself using these routes, or book a guided tour. The full programme will be available here from mid-May.

… five other thrilling things to see or do!

• With children: architecture in miniature in Miniworld.
  With foodies: the tour ‘The Taste of Architecture’ about culinary delights in iconic Rotterdam restaurants.
• With interested parties: Rotterdam Late Night talk show, this time featuring an Architecture Special.
• With insiders: a lecture about the ins and outs of nature-inclusive and climate-adaptive building.
  With critical viewers: the presentation of the Rotterdam Architecture Award in Theater Zuidplein. What is the best new building in the city?