Address: Stationsplein 45
Right next to Rotterdam Central Station is one of the biggest icons of Rotterdam’s post-war reconstruction: the Groot Handelsgebouw. After some 338,000 m2 of corporate space was lost during the bombings, many entrepreneurs were left without accommodation. During the war, Frits Pot already made his first sketches for a multi-tenant business building, which was eventually designed by architect Huig (Hugh) Maaskant. Six years after the first pile entered the ground, the building was festively opened by Queen Juliana in 1953. The grandeur of this building symbolises a vision for the future of Rotterdam: prosperous and vibrant.
Normally, the roof is only accessible to tenants, but during the Rotterdamse Dakendagen (Rotterdam Rooftop Days) it will become a playground for young and old alike. The Speelfabriek (Play Factory) ensures you won’t be bored for a second. Build your own racing car and test it on a multiple-metres long racetrack. Life-size games such as Giant Jenga and Giant Connect Four are also waiting for you. Done playing? Sit down in a beanbag and enjoy the view over the city and the harbour with a refreshing glass of lemonade.
Of course, not only visitors with children are welcome. The more than 200-meter long rooftop is open to all visitors of the Rotterdamse Dakendagen.