"This innovative building houses the museum's extensive art collection and offers a special interaction between art, nature and the urban environment."
The roof garden of Depot Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam is a green oasis in the middle of the city that offers visitors a unique, serene experience. Designed by architecture firm MVRDV, this innovative building houses the museum's extensive art collection and offers a special interaction between art, nature and the urban environment.
Located on the roof of the mirrored, bowl-shaped depot, the roof garden offers panoramic views of Rotterdam, with its iconic skyline and vibrant harbour. The garden is landscaped with a diversity of plants and trees, carefully selected to create a sustainable and attractive green space that blooms all year round. This makes the garden not only a visual spectacle, but also a place of ecological value.
Visitors can stroll through the garden along winding paths, relax on benches, and enjoy the tranquillity provided by the natural environment. In addition, educational activities are available that explore the relationship between art and nature, making the roof garden not only a place of relaxation but also of learning. Also on the level of the 35-metre-high roof garden is the restaurant Renilde.
Planted on the roof garden are mainly multi-stemmed Betula pubescens. At 10 metres, these gentle birches remain relatively small. This makes them extremely suitable as planting on a roof garden, as they can withstand rooftop weather conditions well.
An important aspect of the roof garden is its focus on sustainability. The rainwater system captures and reuses water for irrigation, contributing to efficient water management. The choice of native and climate-resistant plants helps minimise the need for intensive maintenance and additional water consumption. This sustainable approach makes the roof garden not only a place of beauty, but also an example of eco-friendly urban development.
In addition, the roof garden acts as a social space where people can come together, enjoy nature and art, and escape from the hustle and bustle of city life for a while. The combination of green spaces with art objects makes it a unique experience that attracts Rotterdammers and tourists alike.
The roof garden of Depot Boijmans van Beuningen is an example of how modern architecture, art and nature can go hand in hand to create a special and sustainable urban space. It is a place where visitors can enjoy the beauty of nature and art and learn about the important role of green spaces in urban environments. This roof garden contributes not only to the ecological value of the city, but also to the quality of life of its inhabitants and visitors.
