In the third chapter of Rooftopics, Léon van Geest talks to Liesbeth van Heel, project leader of the green rooftop on top of the Erasmus Medical Centre. A remarkable rooftop garden that was opened in 2018. It is a place where patients, but also employees and visitors of the hospital, can relax and enjoy the green environment. Studies show that a green environment helps to heal people. Get to know more about this innovative project and the vision behind it.
Design Juurlink & Geluk landschapsarchitects with EGM architects and BP Groep engineering
Initiators Erasmus MC, Gemeente Rotterdam
Opening year 2018
Surface 3400 m2
Heigt roof 32 meter
Accessibility semipublic, accessible via 8th floor hospital
Facilities rooftop garden, fruit trees, recreation space
In 2018, the new part of the Erasmus MC was officially opened. The hospital chose for a ‘healing environment’ in the new building. This means a lot of daylight, green and warm and comfortable furnishings. The innovative hospital offers an environment that contributes to healing and feeling at home of patients and employees. The public spaces and courtyards got much green and daylight thanks to the glass roofs. On the big courtyards, small green oases appear where patients and visitors can retreat themselves.
The most remarkable aspect of the new green hospital are the rooftop gardens on the eighth floor. The gardens are installed as orchards with 38 nut, apple and quince trees on small hills. A path leads the visitor across sheltered places with couches, so people can enjoy the view over Rotterdam peacefully. Also patients that need equipment or cannot get out of bed, can be brought up to the rooftop. Designers Juulink & geluk wanted to create a genuine landscape and inspired by orchards for this projects.
Besides that it is a nice place to relax, the rooftop of the hospital is also very durable. The rooftop gardens collect rainwater and take care of a controlled drainage of rainwater. They also regulate and reduce heat stress in hot summers.
The rooftop gardens on top of Erasmus MC won the ‘Dakheld’ (Rooftop Hero) prize during the Kennisdag of the Rotterdamse Dakendagen in 2017, the award for best rooftop development of the year.
For more extensive information about this amazing project and healing environment, visit the following websites.
Juurlink & Geluk landschapsarchitecten
Biind (platform voor de fysieke leefomgeving)
(Sources: Erasmus MC, Biind; Images: Erasmus MC, Frank Hanswijk)