Rotterdam is unlike every other city in Holland.
During World War II the city centre was completely destructed. Instead of restoring, the people chose to build a city ready for a prosperous future. Ever since, Rotterdam is the city with big ambitions that has the guts to make things possible. Click here to read more about Rotterdam and find the Rotterdam Tourist Information here.
Rotterdam is a city of heat pumps
Rotterdam as one of the 100 resilient cities under the program by the Rockefeller Foundation has many high rise buidlings where heat pumps have been installed. A special brochure Heat Pumps in Rotterdam describes a number of these installations.
The installed ETP heat pump in the Timmerhuis heats this beautifully renovated building designed by OMA architects and the World Trade Centre as well. Other interesting projects are at the Central Station, Markthal and Calypso.
How do heat pumps relate to the development of the city Rotterdam?
Construction projects in Rotterdam demonstrate the very best practices of sustainable development, mainly by combining heat pumps with thermal energy storage. See here as example the Rotterdam Markthall.
Rotterdam Central Station
Another landmark in Rotterdam is the renovation of the Central Station. Sustainibility with roofs covered with solar-pv and an advanced heat pump concept.
Awards
- In 2015, Rotterdam has been selected as the number 5 city of the world to visit in 2016 by Lonely Planet: Best in Travel 2016.
- In 2014 Rotterdam was featured by Rough Guides and the New York Times as a city that you must visit. Rough Guides placed Rotterdam at number 8 in ‘Top 10 Cities for 2014’
- Rough Guides also listed Rotterdam on 10th place in the New York Times list of ’52 Places to Go in 2014′.
All three of these lists praise Rotterdam highly, not least for its architecture.
City of Rotterdam
Rotterdam is World Port World City. Its port is one of the largest on earth and named the biggest in Europe. A mediagenic metropolis with a constantly growing skyline full of modern architecture. Home to over 600,000 Rotterdam residents of over 170 different nationalities. Each one with his or her own story. Rotterdam is a young, dynamic, international city with a passionately beating heart. The city keeps reinventing itself at a rapid pace while continuously redefining and expanding its already impressive skyline.
Architecture and Innovation
Although much of the city centre was destroyed in the bombing during the Second World War, Rotterdam started vigorous reconstruction efforts as soon as the war ended. The city had the courage to make a radical break with the past and head in a whole new direction. It was this dramatic turning point that gives Rotterdam the contemporary look it has today: spacious in design, with daring modern architecture. Periods of innovative and daring architecture followed, with a particularly prominent peak just after the war. Today, Rotterdam is still notable for its modern, innovative architecture with spectacular, ultra-modern high-rise buildings on an ever evolving skyline.