de Windwheel: New icon of the Netherlands

The Dutch are daring to do something big again. They are building a new architectural icon in the port of Rotterdam: de Windwheel. The building builds on the tradition of Dutch windmills. At the same time, it points the way to a new building future.

The planned de Windwheel building will not only be an icon of sustainability. The approximately 175-metre high, ring-shaped structure has the potential to become a new landmark and point of attraction in Rotterdam. Its unusual shape and capabilities also promise to attract worldwide attention. On the one hand, this will help tourism in Rotterdam. On the other hand, the architects responsible for de Windwheel are also heralding the transition to a clean tech economy.

Windmills have been symbolic of the Netherlands for centuries. The use of wind as a driving force has long been vital for the country. Now the typology of Dutch windmills is facing a new beginning in Rotterdam. The de Windwheel project takes up their form. However, it equips them with the latest technology that uses wind and sun to generate energy. At the same time, the building uses natural elements for passive cooling and natural ventilation. De Windwheel promises to become a center of attraction in Rotterdam and a monument to the architects Duzan Doepel and Eline Strijkers.

The Dutch office DoepelStrijkers is primarily known for a project that has not yet been built. Back in 2015, de Windwheel found its way into the public eye. However, the project is not the team’s only work. Duzan Doepel and Eline Strijkers came together in Rotterdam in 2007. Together, they wanted to create interior design and architecture committed to sustainability. While Eline Strijkers had experience in interior design, Duzan Doepel had other skills. He had previously endeavored to translate architectural research into urban solutions. In the office partnership, they saw the opportunity to translate research and practice into projects with strong content. They were convinced that design could act as an agent for social renewal. Accordingly, they jointly pursued strategies and projects based on a circular and inclusive economy.

Concentrated expertise in Rotterdam

The new windmill in Rotterdam consists of two interconnected rings. In the outer ring, 36 publicly accessible cabins rotate. Similar to the London Eye, they form a tourist attraction. In the inner ring, on the other hand, there are also apartments, conservatories, a hotel, restaurants and functional open spaces. De Windwheel is therefore not only a well-rounded, sustainable and healthy building. It is also equipped with the highest possible energy generation capacity. The latest technical solutions are used. A consortium of innovative experts is responsible for their development and realization. These include Arup, Royal BAM Group, Deltares, Dura Vermeer, ECN, Eneco, Evides, Siemens, SPIE and TNO. They are all striving to increase the quality and sustainability of buildings through the use of climate architecture and advanced technology.

De Windwheel in Rotterdam is already an icon of sustainability. Firstly, it is a vehicle for technical and technological innovation in terms of design and in a figurative sense; secondly, it is a dynamic energy generator and thus, thirdly, a symbol of the dawn of a new future. In recent decades, urban development has received many impulses from bottom-up initiatives. Each of them has had a major direct and indirect impact on the social, ecological and economic performance of our cities. The de Windwheel project in Rotterdam, on the other hand, aims in the same direction, but as a mega-project. As such, it pursues an unprecedented, radically different approach and development process. The project seeks solutions for how tourism and sustainable architecture can come together and create a positive contribution to the development of their urban environment.

Sustainable icon – icon of sustainability

The new Dutch giant windmill will therefore become an attraction and enrich the architecture scene in Rotterdam. It will probably attract visitors from all over the world. They will be able to look out over Rotterdam and the surrounding area from the rotating cabins in the building. It’s not just the architecture that can be experienced from a great height. In good weather, Delft, The Hague and Dordrecht also appear on the horizon. An innovative lighting concept and digital information in the cabins make the tour a special experience. The latter inform the passengers about what they see in the distance. But all kinds of sustainable and innovative technologies are also an attraction. Therein lies the power of the concept: on the one hand, sustainability contributes to the experience of de Windwheel. On the other hand, it illustrates and rewrites the history of the Netherlands. A sustainable icon that is also an icon of sustainability.

The economic potential of the new windmill is huge. The development process and the additional visitors will bring new momentum to Rotterdam. This benefits the local economy and the labor market. De Windwheel is also a global symbol of sustainability and a showcase for the circular economy. The innovations used in the building are ready for the market. This makes the building a platform and an international showcase. Companies can also present their knowledge and innovations to the world here. The ideas for this project originate from the Windwheel Corporation, a consortium of companies from Rotterdam. They are working together with leading companies and research institutes to master the innovative Windwheel program and project. They all see a clean, digital economy as the future. Perhaps we will already see this in 2025.

As a capital of architecture, Rotterdam continues to impress with exciting projects. It is not uncommon for planners to break new ground in terms of sustainability. One example of this is the city administration in Rotterdam, which was built in 2016.