Rooftop Residency

A one-week expedition to create a vision for the roofscape of Southeast

Context

Rooftops are slowly being turned from black into green, together with Pop-up City we decided to kickstart the development of rooftops by working out an overarching vision on the roofscape of Amsterdam Southeast. Rooftop Residency is an expedition on the rooftops of Amsterdam Southeast with the aim to create a vision for the roofscape of Amsterdam’s largest transformation area.

In the Amstel III district, new residential complexes, stores and offices will be rising rapidly over the next few years. However, we feel that there is still a lack of an overall vision for the roofs of all these new and existing buildings.

Concept

That’s why landscape architect Harro de Jong and associate professor at Wageningen University Martijn Duineveld lived and worked on the roofs of buildings in the Amstel III neighbourhood in Amsterdam Southeast. On Sunday 22 August 2021, their Rooftop Residency started with the goal to work on a future vision of the roof landscape. The roof landscape is becoming increasingly important in tackling urban (climate) challenges: it offers plenty of opportunities for energy generation, water storage, combating heat stress, strengthening biodiversity, sports and recreation, hospitality and even housing.

On August 29, Rooftop Residency concluded with a tour through the area. De Jong and Duineveld toured the area on an aerial platform and, together with us and Pop-Up City, presented their vision to interested parties while enjoying a high tea.