MVRDV has won the international architectural competition for the Shift Embassy project in Rotterdam. The concept, entitled ‘Rotterdam ROCKS!’, is a building resembling green rocks, designed for people and nature. The building will form part of the new Waterkant district on the River Meuse and will feature, amongst other things, a hotel, viewing terraces and an immersive exhibition dedicated to the future of our civilisation and the environment.
Shift Embassy in Rotterdam by MVRDV
MVRDV’s design won an international competition organised by the company Shift. The architects proposed a building resembling a rocky landscape stretching along the banks of the Meuse. Visitors will be able to wander along terraces, paths, viewing points and landscaped areas. At its heart will be The Elysium – an immersive exhibition covering 5,000 square metres, designed to encourage visitors to reflect on the future of the world through art, storytelling and interactive experiences. The complex will also house a 200-room hotel, educational spaces, venues for business events and local community gatherings, a food court, a restaurant and an observation deck. The complex will be built in Waterkant, a new district of Rotterdam, where 3,750 flats, schools, craft workshops, a sports campus, a railway station, offices, restaurants and cultural institutions are to be developed.
Seven ‘rocks’ brimming with greenery
The structure consists of seven blocks stacked one on top of the other, resembling boulders. Between them, two main routes have been designed, leading through the interiors described as ‘caves’. The first leads through the exhibition area, the second through the hotel and dining area. A third path, meanwhile, runs along the exterior, winding its way along the façades up to a viewing terrace open to the public. On the roof, there will be another platform for exhibition visitors. The building’s surfaces will feature numerous recesses and niches filled with soil, water and vegetation, creating a habitat for birds and other animals.
“We wanted to reconcile the need to build new facilities with the creation of landscapes that offset our impact on the environment. That is why we have designed a building in which spaces for people and nature intertwine, maintaining a compact form whilst enhancing its ecological value,” emphasises Winy Maas, co-founder of MVRDV.
A laboratory for low-carbon construction
The Shift Embassy project is set to become an open construction experiment. Every stage of the project will be documented to assess the effectiveness of carbon-reducing technologies and the construction process’s impact on the environment. The creators aim to use the building as a testing ground for the latest materials and methods in low-carbon construction, and to share the lessons learnt with the entire industry.
“Rotterdam ROCKS! invites visitors to ask themselves the most important questions: where we come from, where we are heading, and what role each of us can play in shaping the future of our planet. Through wonder, curiosity and imagination, we want to encourage people to look at the future from a new perspective,” says the project’s initiator, Don Ritzen.
The Shift Embassy Competition in Rotterdam
The Shift International Architecture Competition began in January 2025 and took place in two stages. Eighty concepts, prepared by teams of architects, engineers, artists, scientists and environmentalists, were submitted for the first phase. The finalists included Ecosistema Urbano, Heatherwick Studio, Mecanoo, Office for Political Innovation and MVRDV. Following further evaluation of the two highest-ranked designs, the winning team was MVRDV, supported by Arup, Arcadis, DGMR, SB&Co and Joris Laarman Lab. The refined concept was presented in July 2026, whilst the consultation process with residents will begin in the autumn. The jury described the project as bold and unconventional, highlighting its ability to spark curiosity and encourage a more conscious lifestyle.
design: MVRDV
project lead: Winy Maas
partner: Frans de Witte
design team: Gideon Maasland, Leo Stuckardt, Klaas Hofman, Olga Marelja, Rico van de Gevel, Yayun Liu, Fredy Fortich, Alberto Carro Novo, Boudewijn Thomas, Zhijia Xiong, Guido Boeters
copyright: MVRDV – Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, Nathalie de Vries
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