ROTTERDAM
Text by Mark Voorendt

There are several examples of multifunctional flood defences in Rotterdam. Some of them are described in this section (see also figures 2.56 to 2.59). The Maashaven is a inner harbour situated in between the Feijenoordse Brielselaan and Katendrecht. The ’Maashaven Oostzijde’ quay (Figure 2.56) also acts as flood defence. At street level, it contains a pedestrian path, a bicycle path, and a two-lane road.

The ’Maassilo’ (Figure 2.57) along the Brielse Laan is a former cereal storage building, nowadays in use as a place for business and dance events. The building itself is located outside the dike ring, but the wall at the Brielse Laan side has a flood defence function. In this case, it means that eventual high water is not allowed to come out of the building, which will protect the Brielse Laan and the area behind this road to become flooded.

The Roof Park (dakpark) project is a redevelopment project on a former marshalling yard in the ’Vierhavengebied’, Delfshaven (figures). A multifunctional building is combined with a shopping boulevard, a playground, a neighbourhood garden and a Mediterranean garden with orangery. There will be 25 000m2 retail space under the city park. A car park for about 750 cars is also combined in the structure. The gardens bring more nature in the district and the project as a whole will also bring more employment. The Roof Park has a length of 800 metres, a width of 80 metres and its height is 9 metres. Involved parties are: the Municipality of Rotterdam, Hoogheemraadschap Delfland and DURA Vermeer (Website dakpark Rotterdam, 2012). The waterboard of Delfland initially strongly opposed this project, but under strong pressure of the Rotterdam Municipality, it has been realized after all. The water board is involved only as a licensing authority and the municipality has promised to pay the extra costs of the future strengthening of the flood defence (Siemerink, 2012).

The shops and the park are integrated. The water retaining function, however, is and will be performed by only the dike core, which remains intact. The Roof Park therefore is not a fully integrated multifunctional flood defence.

Rotterdam: Maashaven Oostzijde: quay combined with road

Rotterdam: the ’Maassilo’ is is integrated in the flood defence

Rotterdam: the ’Roof Park’ under construction (2012)

Rotterdam: cross section of the ’Roof Park’ (van Veelen, 2012)

Rotterdam: the wide ’Westzeedijk’, barely recognizable as a flood defence