MVRDV wins competition with biophilic project in Rotterdam traduzido por: OPENROUTER

Architecture can play an important role in transforming cities, not only through the way it occupies space, but also through the way it stimulates new behaviors and reflections. This is the proposal of Rotterdam ROCKS!, a project by the Dutch firm MVRDV, winner of the international competition for the Shift Embassy, a new cultural destination planned for the Waterkant district in Rotterdam.

Rotterdam ROCKS! – projeto do MVRDV para a Shift Embassy, em Roterdã. (MVRDV/Divulgação)

On the banks of the Maas River, the building combines green areas, public spaces, immersive experiences, and low-carbon construction strategies to transform architecture itself into a tool for environmental awareness.

A building inspired by a rocky formation

Rotterdam ROCKS! – projeto do MVRDV para a Shift Embassy, em Roterdã. (MVRDV/Divulgação)

Instead of creating a single, closed volume, MVRDV imagined Rotterdam ROCKS! as a great rocky landscape. The proposal consists of seven stacked volumes that create caves, terraces, and green areas among them. The composition seeks to make the building appear as an extension of the future tidal park planned for that region, establishing a more direct relationship between architecture and landscape.

Nature that climbs the facades

Rotterdam ROCKS! – projeto do MVRDV para a Shift Embassy, em Roterdã. (MVRDV/Divulgação)

Vegetation appears not only around the project, but also as part of the architecture itself. Gardens, water, and spaces designed for birds and insects will be distributed across the different levels of the construction, creating small habitats along the way. The result is an example of how biophilic architecture can go beyond the simple presence of plants and incorporate biodiversity, light, water, and contact with the natural environment from the very conception of the building.

A public path to the observation deck

O Rotterdam ROCKS! será implantado no distrito de Waterkant, na margem sul do rio Maas, em uma área que integra um novo bairro de uso misto, com moradias, comércio, equipamentos culturais, escolas e espaços públicos. (MVRDV/Divulgação)

Another highlight is the external circulation, which transforms the movement through the building into an inviting experience. Visitors will be able to climb through gardens and terraces until reaching observation platforms with panoramic views of Rotterdam. Instead of separating the public from the architecture, the proposal uses stairs, paths, and open spaces to create different possibilities for lingering, contemplation, and encounters among citizens.

Architecture as an experience of transformation

The Elysium – experiência imersiva de aproximadamente 5 mil m² que explora futuros possíveis por meio de arte, narrativas e instalações interativas. (MVRDV/Divulgação)

One of the complex's main spaces will be The Elysium, an area for immersive experiences with approximately 5,000 sqm. Through art, narratives and interactive installations, the projects aim to present issues related to ecological transformations in a more sensory way. The idea is to ensure that visitors not only receive information about sustainability, but also reflect on how these changes can transform their own daily lives and the future.

A complex for different uses

Usos mistos: o projeto reúne hotel, espaços educativos, áreas para eventos, restaurantes, encontros comunitários e mirante em um mesmo complexo. (MVRDV/Divulgação)

In addition to the immersive area, Shift Embassy will bring together a hotel with 200 rooms, educational spaces, event areas, community gatherings, restaurants, a food court and a viewpoint. These uses will be organized into two interconnected towers, sculpted like rock formations. Openings and voids help bring natural light, vegetation and public circulation into the complex, creating an architecture that is more permeable and connected to the city.

A laboratory for building the future

Revestimentos porosos: a fachada do projeto incorpora cavidades e superfícies permeáveis que recebem vegetação, água e pequenos habitats para pássaros e insetos. (MVRDV/Divulgação)

Environmental concern is also present in the way the building will be constructed. According to MVRDV, Shift Embassy will function as a laboratory for testing low-carbon construction methods, documenting what works and what can be improved. The proposal considers circular construction, lower-impact materials, biodiversity and strategies that can be adapted over time. The project stems from an important idea for sustainable architecture: often, reusing and transforming existing structures can be more efficient than building anew.

traduzido por: OPENROUTER