The Rotterdam City Council has rejected plans to build three tall hotel- and officetowers (30.000 m2) at the Ahoy Sportscmoplex in Rotterdam-Zuid. Architects Christofolini and Zaaijer/Van den Oever will present a new plan in July.
The original plan consists of a tall and a smaller officetower and a hotel with meetingfacilities and 180 rooms. The towers will differ in height, the tallest being 64 meters tall. The design is part of a more extensive plan to transform the Zuidplein area into a lively area.
According to the commission the current plan did not match the existing surrounding areas, especially the Zuiderpark, enough. The commission demanded more trees to be incorporated within the design to make the towers more ôenveloped in greenô.
According to projectmanager Wierda of the Amsterdam Architects Zaaijer/Van den Oever there is no real possible connection with the Zuiderpark. 'Between the towers and the Zuiderpark lies the Ahoy parkinglot. It is impossible to plant trees there, since trees do not grow on concrete. In the new plans more green will be incorporated, but it will be more in the shape of lower plants.'
