The Publicness of Green Roofs: a casestudy in Rotterdam
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2025-08-20
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nl
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Densification in urban areas has intensified pressure on green space, to which green roofs offer opportunities. In Rotterdam, various semi-public green roofs have been implemented, of which a significant amount has experienced changes in their level of publicness. This thesis aims to understand the publicness of semi-public green roofs to guide future design and policy. Specifically, it investigates how semi-public green roofs can be realized as public as possible while minimizing negative impacts. The study categorises semi-public green roofs and examines challenges and limitations using four dimensions of publicness: ownership, accessibility, management and inclusiveness. Methods included 18 semi-structured interviews, complemented by observations and street interviews on three selected roofs. Thematic analysis revealed eight categories of semi-public green roofs, which overlap, due to unique roof characteristics. The results highlight the importance of opening hours and a caretaker to enhance publicness while minimizing negative impacts. Furthermore, its publicness is enhanced by the visibility created by a low roof with an entrance alongside the building. Additionally, it is important to include appropriation and non-humans within the analysis of publicness of green roofs, which requires more research. The study recommends refining semi-public green roof categorisations to enhance practical design guidelines.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen