On the 7th of September, magazine Roofs awarded the ‘Roof of the year Award 2019’ to our project Het Platform in Utrecht. According to the jury, Het Platform was the most complete project and therefore the rightful winner. VenhoevenCS together with Zoontjens, ZND Dakbedekkingen and green specialist BTL received the award.

Het Platform is a mixed-use building. Instead of 200 small private outdoor spaces for each apartment, a few very large ones have been created. Here, people can meet each other: the residents share beautiful roof gardens which invites them to go outside more often.

The jury, consisting of Ton Berlee (Comfortdak), Otto Kettlitz (Nieman-Kettlitz), Marco de Kok (Low and Bonar), and Paul van Roosmalen (Municipality of Rotterdam), found the project special because it consists of several roofs, interconnected by stairs and footbridges. “The roof offers a beautiful view from all sides and the building itself is actually a roof: it is realized on the roof of the Uithoflijn station, directly adjacent to Utrecht Central Station. The roof provides space for almost all functions: recreation, stimulating biodiversity, water buffering, and improving the air quality. The vegetation of the roof gardens was inspired by the different landscapes in the province of Utrecht”. The good coordination of the work made it pleasant for all parties to work together. The jury had nothing but praise for the execution.

A total of 19 projects had a chance to win the award. The final shortlist consisted of Amsterdome in Amsterdam, Bisonspoor Business Centre in Maarssen, and Het Platform in Utrecht. The presentation of the prize for Roof of the Year was initially supposed to have taken place last March 20 during the annual party of the roofing industry, but due to the corona crisis, this was canceled. The winners have been called together by Roofs on September 7th for an informal, but a festive ceremony.

Het Platform

Utrecht (NL), 2020