The paved quay south of Het Park is a strong contrast to the soft, green spaces of the park. The materialisation as well as the openness, wind and river currents contribute to this. The Westerkade was redesigned in 2010 by OKRA in collaboration with Piet Oudolf. A Dutch landscape designer who also contributed to the High Line of New York. The redesign added trees and perches with plants that provide a varied image throughout the seasons.

The redesign of the banks are part of a bigger scale project, which is supposed to make the river banks in Rotterdam more coherent and more attractive for recreation. Walking along the Westerkade, there is a good view of some of Rotterdam’s iconic buildings on the Kop van Zuid on the opposite side of the river, like the old Hotel New York and The Rotterdam.

Sources
OKRA landschapsarchitecten. 2021. Westerkade | OKRA landschapsarchitecten. [online] Available at: <https://www.okra.nl/projecten/westerkade-2/> [Accessed 9 May 2021]