Rotterdam’s Architecture Reaches New Heights

One week ago, the city of Rotterdam unveiled a new temporary urban structure — a 180-step staircase in the heart of the city. The installation will be open to the public through the 12th of June and leads to an observation deck, a rooftop bar, and the temporary reopening of Kriterion Cinema.

The 180-step staircase measures 29 metres high and 57 metres long. Aptly named De Trap (Dutch for ‘the stairs’), it is the latest project from local Rotterdam architecture firm MVRDV. They were previously responsible for the new Markthal located in Rotterdam as well, of which the firm has received much praise and several awards for.

Photo courtesy of Ossip van Duivenbode

The project marks 75 years since Rotterdam began its recovery from WWII. The stairs lead up to the Groothandelsgebouw, one of the first buildings constructed since the city was destroyed in a bombing. The new stairs symbolize the next era of building for the city of Rotterdam and commemorate all of the efforts which have been made since having to re-build. The stairs, which are built primarily from scaffolding, pay tribute to the radical architecture which has come about since.

Photo courtesy of Ossip van Duivenbode

Alongside the installation, an exhibit is being held which re-imagines how buildings could thrive from integrating rooftop activities. “With this installation and in our exhibition we show what this city could look like if we do that in many places, engaging a series of our existing buildings and giving access to their roofs, to create a new, much more interactive, three dimensional and denser urban topography for the next city generation,” said MVRDV co-founder Winy Maas.

Photo courtesy of Ossip van Duivenbode

De Trap is open now until June 12th and is located just outside of Rotterdam Centraal Station.