Today, Wednesday, June 1, the mayor of Rotterdam Ahmed Aboutaleb opened The Podium in a ceremony at Het Nieuwe Instituut. Designed by MVRDV, the 29-meter-high platform makes the roof of the museum accessible via a 143-step external staircase.
Painted a striking pink to increase visibility, MVRDV’s design creates a 600 m2 temporary meeting place that will form the heart of the Rotterdam Architecture Month throughout June. In July and August, The Podium will become the place to be for a jazz concert or yoga class with a view of the city. Various activities will also take place for the children of Rotterdam, including a summer camp.
The designers were inspired by the panoramic view from the roof of Het Nieuwe Instituut, and by the building’s design by Jo Coenen, with its characteristic pergola. In order to produce The Podium as sustainably as possible, scaffolding material and recyclable floor finishes were chosen as materials.
The Podium is accessible via the outside staircase and via the exhibition on the floor below. For visitors who cannot use the stairs, The Podium is accessible by elevator or via the internal access of Het Nieuwe Instituut.
Last week, on Ascension Day, saw the opening of that other high-level installation, the Rotterdam Rooftop Walk, opened. For a small fee, visitors can stroll on an orange carpet over various roofs, with the highlight of the walk being a bridge spanning the Coolsingel. The Rooftop Walk is an initiative of the Rotterdamse Dakendagen and was designed in collaboration with MVRDV. The installation will be on display until June 24 and was already sold out this weekend. The extensive programming on the carpet should make visitors more aware of what is possible on roofs: from a platform for drones that deliver parcels, thus reducing traffic jams, to rooftop gardens and various solutions for water storage, in a small village.
The Podium is an initiative of Het Nieuwe Instituut in collaboration with, among others, Rotterdam Architecture Month. In June access to the “festival heart” is free; in the following months a ticket costs €3. For a visit to The Podium, it is mandatory to reserve a time slot via the website of HNI.
Project Name: The Podium
Location: Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| Size and Programme: 600m2 – Temporary public event space |
| Credits Architect: MVRDV Founding Partner in charge: Winy Maas Design Team: Gijs Rikken, Michele Tavola Visualisations: Antonio Luca Coco, Luana La Martina Images: © MVRDV Copyright: MVRDV Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, Nathalie de Vries |
