No, there is no shortage of square meters of public space in the city. Developers are now just looking for. On these six roofs you can enjoy the tranquility and greenery above the city.
Furukawa Station, Hida Prefecture, Japan
Architect: Su Fujimoto
A ceiling full of holes: sounds like a very bad idea. Not for the famous Japanese engineer Su Fujimoto. Just look at this public roof he made last month, above a multi-purpose center in the Japanese city of Hida, about 300 kilometers west of Tokyo. This includes shops, student housing, an indoor playground, spa and exhibition spaces. The perforated ceiling spans all those separate buildings and the central plaza in the middle. The roof is in the shape of a bowl with a large hole in the middle for you to climb on from the plaza. You can say that the square is seen as a valley. Winding walking paths continue on the roof and bring you to the green rooftop with grass, shrubs and trees.
The bowl-shaped ceiling is supported on the edges by slender white pillars. Fujimoto model. His trademark is Transparency. His buildings look as light as a feather and at times blend in with their surroundings almost invisibly.
Moesgård Museum (Archaeology and Ethnography), Aarhus
Architectural firm: Henning Larsen
Covered in grasses, moss, and colorful wildflowers, this roof blends seamlessly with the surrounding nature reserve – Aarhusians’ favorite weekend destination. The construction of the terraces is inspired by archaeological excavations that gradually reveal different layers of history. Visitors attend rooftop lectures and even a traditional campfire during midsummer night parties.
Crossrail Place, London
Architectural firm: Foster + Partners
This retail and entertainment complex is located five stories above Canary Wharf station, in the heart of London’s financial district. Under a 310-meter glass roof, you’ll find a public garden filled with tropical plants. Among the green spaces: a freely accessible amphitheater. Crossrail Place, like the new Crossrail train line, aims to connect Londoners. This summer, the amphitheater is once again filled with theatrical performances, music and children’s shows.
Hofbogen Air Park, Rotterdam
Architectural firm: ZUS
The Dutch sister of New York’s Highline Park is located on the former trails of Hoffplein Station. Here you can stroll under the fruit trees and walk among fifty artificial sheep grazing. Part of the roof is used for culture: outdoor films, concerts, and a wine festival. But Rotterdam has more ambitious roof plans: by 2030, the center should have one square kilometer of multifunctional roof surface. From green roofs and solar panels to buildings with tiny homes. Hofbogen Air Park has been closed for a while, but will open again as soon as possible.
Opera House, Oslo
Architectural firm: Snohetta
The Oslo Opera House looks like a geometric mountain. It seems that it rises from the water, visually connecting the city with the natural beauty of the Oslo Fjord. The roof deck slopes upward from the waterline to the large, flat viewing balcony. In summer, the roof serves as an amphitheater for outdoor performances.
Mint Centre, Brussels
Architect: Binst Architects and Snohetta
For now, it’s still in the future, but by 2025 a large public roof will open at Muntcentrum, an often sly mastodon between Anspachlaan and Muntplein. For years, this 1970s tower was BPost’s headquarters, but 62,000 square meters are currently being converted into offices, homes, and a hotel. Mint Shopping Center has been on the ground floor for several years now. The project has two roofs: the roof of the tower at the top. The basement ceiling is on the third floor. Initially, both will be announced. But the city of Brussels refused to concede the rooftop that might now go to the hotel. The roof of the plinth will become public, assures architect Luc Benst of Binst Architects in Antwerp. Their design, which they made with the Norwegian-American agency Snøhetta, won among 54 entries. “In order to make the building less compact, we cut a large piece of the plinth. There will be stairs that form a public walkway from one side of the building to the other. This way you also end up on a rooftop terrace with lots of greenery and a view of the Muntplein.”
