Coolsingel is one of Rotterdam’s most famous and important streets. It is a bustling, central boulevard where pedestrians, cyclists, cars and trams cross. There are many impressive buildings on either side of Coolsingel.

The appearance and allure that the nineteenth-century promenade once had was gone. And Rotterdam wanted that back. By taking advantage of the existing green space and combining it with a new high-quality public design, Coolsingel had to offer visitors a warm welcome at any time of the day and in all seasons.

It was a unique project because it involved existing trees. A lot had to be ‘opened up’, which gave the perfect opportunity to add a considerable amount of root growth capacity. So the choice was more or less determined by the constraint: work is being done now, so something has to be done about the tree’s living conditions now. Thanks to the modular TreeParker system, everything could be integrated into the work.

The project started in 2018. Five years later (2022), Coolsingel is a true green oasis in the midst of the bustling city life.