The climate is changing. It’s getting warmer and it’s getting wetter. The fact that it is getting wetter causes a lot of inconvenience. The mixed sewer system that can be found underground in many neighborhoods of Rotterdam is full. The water has nowhere to go and the rain puddles remain on the street. 

In this proposal a water strategy has been introduced at the Pieter de Hoochweg in Rotterdam where has been experimented with the hights of the public domain. This gives the answer to the concrete problem of cloudbursts, while also creating several new and cohesive urban spaces that offer social community and creative opportunities. 

This proposal is an ambitious prime example of how to cope with climate changes and local rainwater management whilst providing unique recreational value for experiences and activities in existing urban spaces. By combining the area’s existing qualities with smart cloudburst solutions, the new urban spaces significantly improve the quality of life for a big part of Coolhaveneiland.

The public domain will literally grow and shrink depending on the rainfall.