Not a Building, but a Living Ecosystem: Rotterdam Rocks!
Imagine a structure that is not just a building used by
people, but also becomes part of nature, public life, and sustainability. The Shift
Landmark project, planned for Rotterdam, is pursuing exactly this idea.
Launched as an international architectural competition in
2025, the project attracted significant interest. Around 1,500 architects
reviewed the competition brief, and 80 teams submitted proposals. Among the
five finalists were prominent practices such as MVRDV, Heatherwick Studio,
Mecanoo, Ecosistema Urbano, and Office for Political Innovation.
However, the idea that ultimately stood out was MVRDV’s “Rotterdam
Rocks!” project. The winning design, announced in July 2026, is planned for
Rotterdam’s new waterfront district, Waterkant.
Why a Rock?
The most striking aspect of the project is its departure
from the conventional form of a building.
The structure consists of seven large rock-like forms
stacked on top of one another. Yet these rocks are not simply an aesthetic
design choice. Each one creates different spaces and routes within and around
the structure.
What Is Envisioned for the Living Rocks?
MVRDV’s design moves away from creating a conventional
building mass and instead explores the idea of enormous “living rocks”
stacked on top of one another.
These rocks are not merely an architectural form. Spaces are
planned within and around the structure for people, plants, water, soil, and
different forms of wildlife. The recesses created across the façade are also
designed as areas where soil, water, and vegetation can settle and grow.
Through this approach, the building aims to become almost
like a small ecosystem of its own.
Is Sustainability Just About Adding Greenery?
This is where the project becomes particularly interesting.
Sustainability is often presented through ideas such as
adding plants to rooftops or covering façades with greenery. Rotterdam
Rocks! aims to take this approach a step further.
In MVRDV’s design, the goal is to consider human use and
natural life as parts of the same system. The building is planned to include a
hotel, exhibition spaces, conference and meeting areas, a sustainable food
space, and observation points.
At the same time, public routes running through different
parts of the structure are intended to allow visitors to experience the
building not only from the inside, but also from different levels and
perspectives.
In other words, sustainability here does not simply mean “a
building that consumes less energy.” The project also aims to rethink the
relationship between people, nature, and the city.
Why Is It Important for Rotterdam?
The project’s location is no coincidence. Rotterdam has a
particularly strong relationship with water. The project is planned for the new
Waterkant district, close to the waterfront and a new tidal park.
For this reason, the structure is conceived not simply as an
architectural object, but as part of a broader idea of living with water and
responding to climate change.
From this perspective, Rotterdam Rocks! raises an
important question for the cities of the future:
Can a building also be a laboratory?
In MVRDV’s project, sustainability does not stop at the
design stage. The building is planned to function as an open laboratory where
low-carbon materials and future building technologies can be tested.
The experiments carried out during the construction process
are also intended to be documented, allowing the knowledge gained from the
project to contribute to future building practices.
This approach makes the project more than just a building
belonging to Rotterdam.
Because the real question here is not:
“How can we make today’s buildings more sustainable?”
but rather:
“How can we design tomorrow’s buildings differently?
“Our first step in approaching this design was to broaden
the task. We need to reduce carbon emissions and create inclusive spaces for
people, trees, plants, water, air, and animal habitats; to balance our
ecological impact, we need to establish a balance between newly built spaces
and newly created landscapes.”
— Winy Maas, MVRDV
References
·
DAC -MVRDV’den
Rotterdam’da Yaşayan Bir Kaya | Design Architecture Communication
·
Archeyes -MVRDV'nin
Rotterdam ROCKS adlı eseri Maas Nehri'nde yeşil bir kültürel anıt öneriyor
