Danish maritime architect Mast and construction company BIK bouw are proposing to build a floating neighbourhood at a disused dock in the centre of Rotterdam.
The plan for the Spoorweghaven dock has received “initial support” from the Municipality of Rotterdam, Mast said in a press release, without giving details.
The design is for 100 affordable units, public spaces and commercial areas.
If built, Spoorweghaven would be Europe’s largest floating housing development.
It would consist of prefabricated cross-laminated timber buildings that can be towed into place and anchored in the harbour.
The idea is to minimise construction work on site and allow structures to be moved or repurposed instead of demolished.
The neighbourhood would be accessible by bicycle and boat and integrated into Rotterdam’s cycling network.
It will have low-maintenance pontoons, decentralised wastewater treatment systems, communal roof terraces, and floating gardens.
900 sq m of floating reedbeds designed by Scottish ecological engineer Biomatrix are planned around the site’s perimeter to filter the water and create habitats for fish, birds and invertebrates.
It could also be handy in a flood. Mast said Spoorweghaven “doesn’t resist the water, but rises with it”.
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