Type of route Walking route (no bicycle required)
Rooftops Theater ‘t Kapelletje (through the gate between Schiekade 45 and 47), the Heineken Building (Crooswijksesingel 50) and ZOHO (Vijverhofstraat 26)
Starting point ‘t Kapelletje or the Heineken Building
Restrictions Flat shoes are compulsory; it is important to be able to walk well, as this route contains many stairs and few lifts; no access for children under 12
Make sure to be on time at the various locations on your route. Check your ticket for the times and locations.
About the programme
The Oude Noorden (‘Old North’) district has many old buildings that have been given new functions over the years. This route will take you past a number of gems from this part of the city, where you will learn about these monuments and a future vision for (part of) North Rotterdam.
Theater ‘t Kapelletje is part of the Emmahuis housing block on the Schiekade. In 1932, the building was put into use as a home for the elderly. In 1972, the diaconate left the building and it was to be demolished. After a brief squatting period, it found its purpose as temporary housing, and artists held their studios in the building. The chapel remained and was converted into a theatre by members of the amateur theatre association R’71. That’s why it’s now still called Theater ‘t Kapelletje (‘The Chapel Theatre’).
The theatre is a meeting place for Rotterdam’s amateur performing arts in the broadest sense of the word. Volunteers devote themselves to the preservation of this location. During your visit to the rooftop, rooftop poems will be recited via a soundscape with headphones, and if the weather is good, you will be able to have a drink in the courtyard garden.
ZOHO stands for Zomerhof. For years, the neighbourhood around Zomerhofstraat has been a hotbed for creative entrepreneurs, catering and cultural activities. In the coming period, ‘ZOHO’ will be transformed by Leyten-Stebru and 600 homes will be built there (30% social housing, 35% mid-segment and 35% luxury segment). The project is based on the principle of ‘what is good will stay’. The intention is therefore to preserve the energy found in the area, while also making it greener and denser. Part of the master plan is a rooftop landscape that is 4,000 m2. During your visit, students from the Academy of Architecture will tell you about their vision for the development of this area, including life-size roof installations.
The Heineken Building was built in 1932 by architect Kromhout as an extension to the Amsterdam brewery of the same name. Not everyone knows that Heineken was also located in Rotterdam, but it was a close-knit company where many people from Rotterdam spent their entire working lives. The site was strategically chosen because of the adjacent Rotte River as a supply and transport location for goods. The monument building that you can visit during the Rotterdamse Dakendagen served as the factory headquarters and has recently been completely renovated. Allow yourself to be taken through the company’s history with an audio tour of the building, ending on the rooftop with stunning (new) views over the North of Rotterdam.
