Each urban area contains hidden pockets that are often overlooked—those dingy, unsavory areas one tends to steer clear from. During my seven-year stay in Rotterdam, this rear passage was known as the Steigersgracht waterway. It once formed part of an elaborate system of canals within the heart of the city but transformed into a place for discarding waste where the waters were foul-smelling and the channel was clogged with debris.
A decade later, as I float in the center of the very same canal, I feel a twinge of anxiety about submerging my head. It's time for me to catch a wave at the planet’s inaugural urban surfing destination, RiF 010, and with several hundred local residents observing during their lunch breaks on this initial week of operation, the stakes are high.
Encircled by towering buildings, I exert myself vigorously as a pristine 1.6-meter left wave approaches. The wave peaks, I maneuver into place, leap up... only to promptly wipeout. Fortunately, the refreshing and clear water allows me to resurface amidst applause and chuckles from onlookers, leaving me exhilarated and eager for another attempt.
Rotterdam doesn't usually make it onto the typical Australian traveller's shopping itinerary when they're planning a European adventure. Although once upon a time it could compete with its counterpart Amsterdam for beauty, much of central Rotterdam was nearly obliterated at the start of World War II. Following this devastation, the Dutch government chose to surrender instead of letting more cities suffer destruction. As years went by, Rotterdam found itself lagging behind, struggling to bounce back from being primarily an industrial port town in decay.
Having a completely open architectural slate surprisingly influenced Rotterdam; the city turned into a hub for experimental architecture and a breeding ground for innovative concepts, much like how the surf park operates.
"I could only construct this in Rotterdam," states Edwin van Viegen, the founder of RiF 010.
“Rif” means reef in Dutch, while the 010 refers to the city’s area code. The entrepreneur received a €3 million grant to assist with the project, one of the conditions being the clean-up of the canal. Using water pumped from the River Maas, the urban surf pool uses micro-sieves, which use less energy than traditional sand filters. An aqua-robotic rubbish collector patrols the perimeter of the waterways, and a sunken, floating bar and terrace sits next to the pool, which includes a spectator “splash zone”.
"If I had intended to construct it out in an open field, it wouldn't have taken me 12 years," stated Van Viegen, an avid surfer who encountered substantial legal hurdles before he could start the project.
“I preferred to undertake an initiative that would benefit the city instead.”
The people of Rotterdam and their city take great pride in ensuring that "something": the emphasis of most new projects revolves around enhancing the local residents' quality of life, instead of catering primarily to visitors.
This motif carries over into the construction phase.
Hofbogen
The transformation of a disused elevated railway bridge connecting downtown to the northern part of the city was influenced by the achievements of New York’s High Line project. Despite a gradual pace, significant progress has been made; the formerly derelict archways beneath the structure now house various enterprises such as hairdressers, custom furniture creators, artists, and coffee roasteries. In January 2024, a fresh food court debuted within the historic former train depot located midway along this route.
Station Bergweg
, where customers retrieve a beer, a bowl of ramen, or a box of chocolates from a vending machine to enjoy at the station terrace, offering vistas across the city.
Nevertheless, the plan to rejuvenate the subsequent phase of the Hofbogen project entails commencing construction at the outskirts of the city and concluding in the central business district (CBD) towards the end, ensuring that residents experience the early advantages.
Of course, tourists aren’t neglected: in the coming year, there will be a flourish of new hotels and museums. One of the few historic buildings in the city centre to escape destruction in WWII was (for nefarious reasons) the old post office. In 2026, the building will open as the new five-star 224-room Kimpton Hotel.
Opening in late 2025, the Nederlands Fotomuseum will reopen in a recently refurbished, heritage-protected structure located at Rijnhaven, a port area in the northern part of the city. This future home to over six million photographs will be housed within the historic former Santos coffee processing plant along the waterfront.
Just a short walk away, construction continues on one of Europe’s most important new museums, the Fenix Museum of Immigration, set to open in May 2025. A giant silver tornado, both a work of art and a viewing platform, glistens in the morning sun, rising from the centre of the historic warehouse building.
The museum aims to highlight the human side of migration by exploring this topic via modern art and documentary photographs. Over 200 works have been specially created for and obtained by the museum; however, its key feature is an anticipated floor-level exhibit called 'The Maze.' During the last three years, the institution has conducted interviews with numerous immigrants and gathered around 2000 personal suitcases from these narrators to provide tangible representations of their tales. These suitcases will be integrated into a maze-like structure intended to immerse guests fully in the immigrant journey and the difficulties encountered along the way.
The museum's setting holds significant emotional weight: situated on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas river system, this area previously housed the planet’s biggest warehouse. It was also the departure point for over three million migrants, such as Albert Einstein, who set sail with the Holland America Line towards the New World from Europe.
Prior to becoming the museum location, the unrenewed warehouse functioned as the Fenix Food Hall. This trendy spot currently resides beside the museum, below the newly constructed Fenix 1 residential project—the initial phase among several apartment complexes aimed at rejuvenating the neighborhood.
The Rijnhaven, like the Steigergracht, was derelict and decayed for years – a crumbling port area in a rough neighbourhood most people avoided. Slowly the area has gentrified.
The addition of a small pedestrian bridge in 2012 created easier access for bike and foot traffic between the Katendrecht neighbourhood and the city. New apartment blocks and hotels including the NHow were built on the Wilhelmina Pier in 2014; the same year, a food hall opened in a warehouse previously abandoned for 40 years.
In 2021, the energy-positive, CO2-neutral, three-story Floating Office featuring a green roof made its debut, serving as the new home for the Global Centre for Adaptation. Also launched was the city’s most unusual lodging choice, the Wikkelboat, situated on the water.
Six specially crafted houseboats are docked along a pontoon pathway connected to the floating park at Rijnhaven. Each one is constructed using 24 layers of rolled-up, ridged cardboard material. These boats boast flexible designs, incorporate solar energy, and include—after some strenuous effort—a fold-out deck that exposes a submerged hot tub. In Rotterdam, as well as predominantly throughout The Netherlands, regulations around brief stays in apartments can be quite stringent. However, the Wikkelboat serves as an excellent all-in-one alternative for exploring the area; complete with bicycles positioned alongside, wall-mounted beds to maximize room usage, and both an exterior shower and interior restroom facilities available.
Settled in the jacuzzi, I look across to where a new beach and park is being constructed and where a series of skyscrapers have been approved. So far, more than a third of the harbour basin – exceeding eight hectares – has been drained and reclaimed for the 350,000-square-metre urban development, which will bring more than 2000 new homes and office blocks, floating parks and an educational tidal park.
But with temperatures today hitting more than 30 degrees, the city is preoccupied with Rotterdam’s newest swimming spot, near Rijnhaven’s first floating park and just 100 metres from the Wikkelboat. Clean water testing and record-busting temperatures mean every spot of grass and concrete on the floating park is taken up with bodies, beach towels and inflatables.
A decade back, this harbor was incredibly polluted; I wouldn't have dipped even my smallest finger into it. Yet here I am unable to resist. After emerging from the heated waters of the Jacuzzi, I leap overboard from the Wikkelboat, drawing the eye of a curious mother duck accompanied by her eight chicks. The water is chilly but refreshingly clear.
Rotterdam may not be considered the most picturesque city in Europe. Unlike prominent destinations such as Paris or Rome, Barcelona or London, it doesn’t sit atop everyone’s list of must-visit locations within the continent. However, this city wholeheartedly welcomes the future and exemplifies cutting-edge European lifestyle at its peak. If you’re looking for an authentic taste of modern-day Europe, Rotterdam is prepared to welcome you with open arms.
THE DETAILS
FLY
Singapore Airlines runs daily services to Amsterdam through Singapore from the majority of major Australian cities.
See
www.singaporeair.com
STAY
The self-contained Wikkelhouses are located at both the Red Marina and Rijnhaven in Rotterdam, offering accommodation for six to eight individuals starting at €189 ($323). See
wikkelboat.nl
PLAY
RiF 010 offers surfing lessons for €45 ($77) per session. Check it out.
rif010.nl
MORE
rotterdam.info
The writer travelled as a guest of Wikkelboat and RiF010.
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