A total of 56 rooftops are participating in the 2024 Rotterdam Rooftop Days, of which 13 are designated as Open Rooftops. The remaining 43 rooftops serve as venues for Tours and Specials. With a Festival Rooftop Pass (Dakpas: €9,50), visitors can access the Open Rooftops on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Each rooftop offers not only splendid views but also a lively festival programme and showcases ways in which these typically empty spaces can be used to make the city more sustainable, enjoyable, and even healthier. Activities include music performances, sports, building projects, and playing in a water park, highlighting the importance of smart rainwater management.
Central Rooftops: Water park and building a rooftop village
The two central locations are the Luchtpark (former Hofplein station) and Las Palmas on the Kop van Zuid. Here, visitors exchange their e-ticket for a physical Rooftop Pass and begin their day with their first panoramic view. On the rooftop of Las Palmas, you can assist in constructing a wooden rooftop village with Rotterdam’s own Buurman and their German counterpart Holzkombinat. They demonstrate how building homes on existing rooftops can contribute to solving Europe’s housing shortage. The Luchtpark Hofbogen rooftop becomes a water park, where children and adults can play come rain or shine. This intervention, in collaboration with, among others, Rotterdams Weerwoord, addresses climate adaptation and is inspired by the former public paddling pool at Schouwburgplein (until 1990) and the innovative, circular plans for the future rooftop park on the Hofbogen.
New Rooftops: Green and Greener
The green rooftops of De Doelen and the Nieuwe Instituut are new additions to the event. The well-known concert hall will naturally host music performances by Rotterdam artists, set amongst plants and bee hotels on the rooftop. To access the rooftop of the Nieuwe Instituut, a scaffolding staircase will be placed in the Museumpark. This is the first time the green rooftop above the concrete pillars on the Rochussenstraat side is opened to the public. Once at the top, you’ll find a mini-exhibition inspired by urban biodiversity.
Tours and Specials: Hidden Gems and Special Events
During the guided tours, visitors explore exclusive rooftops with compelling stories. Discover hidden and remarkable spots in the rooftop landscape, great examples of rooftop usage, rooftops with potential, or simply very high rooftops with spectacular views. Specials include events like performances, concerts, and more. For instance, circus theatre company Tall Tales performs the acrobatic show Facades on a 7-meter-high structure on the rooftop of the Kamer van Koophandel (Chamber of Commerce). As part of the Rotterdam Sustainable Fashion Week, models strut on a vertigo-inducing runway on the 11th floor: a bridge on the exterior of the W70 building (on Weena). More specials such as film screenings (with IFFR and KINO), spoken word (with Spraakuhloos), and a concert (Nagasaki Swim at De Doelen) are listed on the website. Also available is an overview of the programme that is free to visit.
Over De Bogen: Now with Elevator Access
The weekend of the Rotterdam Rooftop Days also marks the final weekend of the event Over De Bogen, a collaboration with the O. Festival for Opera. Music. Theatre. This musical walk along the monumental Hofbogen is the first and last chance to travel this 2-kilometer stretch before the transformation into a rooftop park begins. With the addition of an elevator, this event is now also accessible to wheelchair users or those with mobility aids such as walkers.
About the organisation
The 2024 Rotterdam Rooftop Days are organised by the namesake foundation. This organisation shapes the programme and makes rooftops safe and accessible as needed. We do this in collaboration with numerous partners, including building owners and managers. The mission of the Rotterdam Rooftop Days is to utilise the potential of the urban rooftop landscape for a sustainable, healthy, and vibrant future. Learn more about our perspective on rooftops here.