The Hofbogen has already undergone significant redevelopment after being out of service since 2002. This includes the establishment of the Luchtsingel roof park in 2015 and the ongoing construction until 2024 to transform the empty roof of the Hofbogen line into a nature-inclusiv
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The Hofbogen has already undergone significant redevelopment after being out of service since 2002. This includes the establishment of the Luchtsingel roof park in 2015 and the ongoing construction until 2024 to transform the empty roof of the Hofbogen line into a nature-inclusive park. Within this existing masterplan, the project seeks to add value by proposing a building addition to the Hofbogen infrastructure at the Bergweg station. One of the key challenges in designing a biodiverse park on a rooftop is water management. The engineering aspect of the project is crucial for working with the existing structure to create architecture that generates positive output for the park, the area, and its users. The project gives emphasis on the conscious choice of materials and is attentive to their lifecycle implications. In the context of the contemporary building industry, it is necessary to support the principles of reuse and demountability and the use of existing structures. Consequently, the project is designed to be constructed on top of an existing structure within the urban fabric, and represents a demountable building approach that utilizes highly adaptable building pieces capable of accommodating change. Overall, this graduation project aligns with the architectural engineering studio's focus on designing ecological and socially responsible architecture while contributing to a sustainable development of Rotterdam's urban landscape.