Surfing in the heart of Rotterdam, we make it happen!

In 2014, RiF010 won the Rotterdam city initiative. This dream plan for a surf wave pool in the Steigersgracht, between the Beurstraverse and the Market Hall, had to wait nine years for realization. But now it has arrived. In mid-March, TBI company Mobilis began construction. By the spring of 2024, you will be able to surf, bodyboard and surf kayak in downtown Rotterdam.

The Luchtsingel over Schieweg and the Skating Rink in Kralingen are previous winners of Rotterdam's city initiative in which the municipality makes money available to a plan that makes the city more attractive. Whereas the first two winning initiatives could be realized fairly quickly, RiF010 still had a long way to go. Edward van Dongen of 2d Vastgoed was involved in the idea from day one. Van Dongen: "The Steigersgracht is not such a beautiful part of the city center. The canal is at the back of stores and the water looks dingy. Edwin van Viegen, himself an avid surfer, came up with the idea to give this part of Rotterdam an enormous boost. By creating a surfpool in the canal where you can surf on real waves."

Mobilis demonstrated that this was feasible

"The first thing we had to do - even before we were to participate in the elections - was to prove that it was technically and financially feasible. To this end, we made contact with Mobilis. Then-Director Jan Luijten was immediately enthusiastic, which I personally enjoyed as well, since my father (Jan van Dongen) is one of the founders of TBI. Thanks to Mobilis' knowledge and support, we were able to convince the municipality that RiF010 was buildable and exploitable. This allowed our initiative to advance to the elections as one of six out of a hundred entries."

Huge favor factor

"Then we had to win the election in which all Rotterdammers were allowed to vote. A big contender was a hospitality plan for De Hef, whose initiators had an advertising budget. But we had an enormous favor factor. Martin van Waardenberg was willing to perform for us in a video in which he crosses the Nieuwe Binnenweg in a surf suit. We won the election and then we thought: now we can get to work. The municipality agrees. What's still holding us back? But then a very complex permit process began so it took until early 2019 for everything to come around irrevocably."

Delay and increased prices

Jan de Waard, Head of PMC Industrie & Bouw at Mobilis: "Then you're five years down the road and prices have risen. And there was already a gap between the three million the municipality made available and our plan at the time. In addition, new ideas had been added during elaboration and unknown setbacks had come to light. For example, the wooden foundation piles under the road surface on both sides of the canal turned out to be slanted into the ground, i.e. inward, toward the canal. This means that you have to vibrate the sheet piles at an angle as well, and in such a way that you don't push them through the piles. Then we had Covid-19 and two years later the Russian invasion of Ukraine, both with major implications for the deliverability and cost of materials."

More money needed and found

Van Dongen: "For all these reasons, more money was needed. To raise that, RiF010 BV was set up with several shareholders. Mobilis could not become a shareholder according to its own statutes, but together with TBI it sponsored part of the contract sum." De Waard: "The work of TBI can be seen in all kinds of Rotterdam icons, from the Market Hall to the Kuip, from Rotterdam Central Station to the Maas Tunnel. So we as Mobilis absolutely wanted to contribute to this incredible project as well."

Taking the environment

The construction and technology of RiF010 are in place. However, certain techniques are now smarter and more energy efficient than imagined in 2014. The most exciting part of the realization is building in a busy inner-city environment with little space. Environmental management is therefore very important here. Van Dongen: "We are very happy that we can build on Mobilis' experience. When you see how Mobilis staged a presentation for the residents and entrepreneurs in the neighborhood, that is fantastic. In a visual and attractive presentation, Mobilis showed very clearly what will happen and when. A construction app was also created in which all phases can be easily followed."

Proven technique

De Waard says it is a technique Mobilis is using more often. "After placing the sheet pile walls and pouring the underwater concrete for the bottom, the water will be pumped away to the Rotte River. Before then, the fish present will also have to be moved, possibly by using the method of pulse fishing to chase them out of the Steigersgracht. Eventually a closed tank will be created, the 'surfpool' 130 meters long and 21 meters wide." An in-house treatment plant with drum filter filters water from the Steigersgracht for the wavepool. A second installation of eight blowers provides the water displacement. The bottom of RiF010 plays an important role in the wavepool. In the bottom there will be two profiles, the reefs, on which the waves break. The blowers can be used to create customized waves up to a height of 1.5 meters. The operation has already been tested at scale. The American company Surf Loch has a complete scale model (1:15) of the RiF010.

Lots of interest

Van Dongen said, "Between 2014 and now, a lot has changed in technology so that much more energy-efficient engines are now being used than in the first plan. There will also be PV panels on the roof of the beach house and the catering facilities will be gas-free. It is now being investigated whether energy can be recovered from wave action." De Waard: "This project shows beautifully what is possible with technology. We are therefore going to give many tours here to schoolchildren and students in order to interest them in a technical profession. The interest in this is great. In addition, the international press is watching what we are building here with wide eyes. For an inner city, this is unique." RiF010 will open in May 2024.