Luchtsingel

Luchtsingel, a bridge born from citizen initiative

The Luchtsingel was one of Rotterdam’s most original urban projects: an elevated yellow wooden pedestrian bridge connecting Schieblock with Pompenburg and Hofbogen, crossing busy roads and railway lines that had separated this area from the city centre for many years.

Designed by the architectural firm ZUS, the project became famous for combining public funding with crowdfunding. Thousands of people participated by purchasing wooden planks for the bridge, on which they could have their name or a personal message engraved.

Luchtsingel, the yellow pedestrian bridge in Rotterdam — Luchtsingel Rotterdam

History of the Luchtsingel

At the end of the 2000s, this part of northern Rotterdam was separated from the city centre by major roads and railway lines. The Luchtsingel was conceived as a way to reconnect these areas and bring new activity to a part of the city that had been losing vitality for years.

The ZUS project won Rotterdam’s first Stadsinitiatief, an initiative that allowed residents to vote for projects designed to improve the city. Nearly half of the more than 40,000 participants voted for the Luchtsingel, and the project received four million euros for its development.

Construction took place in stages and the Luchtsingel was officially opened on 20 June 2015. At approximately 390 metres long, its striking yellow colour and elevated route quickly made it one of Rotterdam’s most recognisable urban projects.

Luchtsingel pedestrian walkway in Rotterdam — Luchtsingel

Much more than a pedestrian bridge

The Luchtsingel formed part of a wider urban project that included the DakAkker, a rooftop farm on the Schieblock, new public spaces around the former Hofplein railway station and the development of Park Pompenburg.

Its importance went beyond its function as a pedestrian walkway. The project became an internationally recognised example of citizen participation and demonstrated how a relatively simple urban intervention could help transform an overlooked part of the city.

What happened to the Luchtsingel?

After around twelve years of use, the wooden structure began to suffer from significant wood rot and structural deterioration. For safety reasons, the Municipality of Rotterdam began progressively dismantling large sections of the Luchtsingel from late 2024 onwards.

Much of the original bridge has now disappeared, although some sections still remain, including parts near Hofbogenpark and some of its stairs and structures. Materials from dismantled sections have also been considered for reuse where possible.

Residents who originally participated in the crowdfunding project were even given the opportunity to recover some of the wooden planks carrying their engraved names and personal messages.

The future: Luchtsingel 2.0

The disappearance of much of the original bridge does not mean the end of this elevated connection. Rotterdam has decided to develop a new Luchtsingel as part of the transformation of Schiekadeblok, Pompenburg and the Hofbogenpark area.

In 2026, the design process for what has become known as Luchtsingel 2.0 began. The intention is to preserve the recognisable character of the elevated connection while adapting it to the new buildings and public spaces being developed in this part of Rotterdam.

If you visit the area today, do not expect to find the complete Luchtsingel shown in our photographs. These images show the original bridge before much of it was dismantled and now form part of the recent urban history of Rotterdam.

Discover other bridges in Rotterdam