Rotterdam Municipal Parking Garage
will get the largest green facade in Europe

The municipal parking garage Westblaak in Rotterdam will soon be transformed and will be the largest green facade in Europe. A total of 5000 m2 of green will cover the sides and topmost floor of the municipal parking garage.
Work will begin in May 2010 and is expected to be finished at the end of August. This project has been made possible through a contribution given by the municipality of Rotterdam where a subsidy scheme was set up specifically for the planting of rooftops. Planted rooftops play an important roll in capturing excess rainwater during heavy rainstorms; they extend the lifetime of the actual roof, soak up fine particulate matter and CO2. Another stride in urban sustainability has been taken with the financial support for the first green gable/facade in Rotterdam.

Climbing evergreens
The Westblaak will be equipped with a basket like structure of a lightweight metal mesh construction with climbing evergreen (hedera).  The green branch motif of the construction combined with the plants creates an extra architectonic dimension with a refreshing green appearance.  The plants will be automatically watered with rainwater that will be filtered and stored in reservoirs below the garage. This particular complex already has a few green amenities such as a green roof and led lighting in the public spaces of the office section. “We accept the responsibility of greening our properties. Green is important in “liveability,” says the owner, Christian Stadil. Architectenburo Kuhne & Co, Rotterdam is the designer.

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The benefits of green gables
Alderman Bolsius (Harbour, public space and Organization): “Green gables/facades insure the local reduction of fine particulate matter, nitrogen and surrounding noise. They also insure for a greener more attractive environment. These are enormous benefits for a centrally located municipal garage such as Westblaak.”
Bolsius continued stating that green gables/facades contribute in the cooling of the city in the summer, reducing radiant heat and at the Westblaak garage the rainwater is recycled.
The green gable/façade of the municipal garage Westblaak is the first pilot to be implemented. In the near future more pilots will be done in order to give a clear image of the affects of planting green gables/facades.