Floating Homes Nassauhaven, Rotterdam

HAVENLOFTS: SPACIOUS FLOATING HOMES

Rotterdam is changing fast, a development that attracts many new residents and results in a rising demand for modern, appealing homes. Homes that can be built on the attractive locations of former, disused harbour sites. This development is promoted by the city council, which makes it a priority to build innovative, sustainable homes for its new citizens.

Floating homes are an attractive solution. But because Rotterdam lies in a delta and has open access to the sea, designs of floating houses have to take the tides into account. And to make residences future-proof, they must also be resilient against a rising sea level caused by climate change.

PDA architects started a first pilot for a floating street adhering to these requirements, spacious houses floating on tidal water, designed to be future-proof and sustainable, and – of course – great to live in.

More than just attractive

In 2012, the city council of Rotterdam launched a request for a pilot “for an excellent, varied, and floating living quarter, which positively contributes to the Feijenoord district.”

Transforming these requests into a building design required more than the usual building expertise. The result is the ‘Havenlofts Nassauhaven’, a floating quarter combining sustainable construction, a well-considered fit with the fabric of the city, and … a cool experience of living on water.

Making the experience even more sustainable is a collaboration with Greenwheels en Go-Bike, which will introduce shared cars and electrical mobility for the new quarter. The goal is to eventually extend these services into a common mobility hub.

A mix of sustainable solutions

The new floating homes have been designed to be energy neutral. They come with a base set of solar panels that can be further extended. Heat is generated from bio mass and wastewater is treated and purified directly in the building.
The climate-resilient wooden facade has a long durability, doesn’t leach out, and doesn’t require additional treatment. All building materials have been selected for their sustainability, robustness and aesthetic character.

Freedom comes in various sizes

The floating harbour homes are spacious. There are various types of building shells, which can be further completed depending on the desires and requirements of the prospective owners. For those who want the ultimate building freedom, there is the option to buy a building shell as is, and complete it autonomously, to their own liking and pace. The owners of the new homes in the Nassauhaven are truly an enterprising, dynamic group of new citizens for the Kop van Feijenoord.

Tidal park

In parallel with the realization of the first floating homes, the city of Rotterdam is developing a tidal park in the Nassauhaven. The new park is conceived as an experiment for the future development of eco-friendly city shores.

More information can be found on www.rotterdam.nl/wonen-leven/getijdenpark-nassauhaven/