A bright yellow pedestrian bridge that links three previously disconnected parts of central Rotterdam, built entirely through crowdfunding. The project began in 2011 when architect ZUS proposed connecting the area north of Rotterdam Centraal — cut off by railway tracks and a motorway — with the rest of the city. Donors could buy a plank of the bridge with their name engraved on it.
The result is a 390-metre wooden walkway that climbs over the railway, passes through a rooftop garden, and descends into a previously neglected neighbourhood that has since come alive with cafés, studios, and small businesses. The Luchtsingel is a textbook example of tactical urbanism — a cheap, fast intervention that transformed a dead zone into a destination. Walk across it for the views and the story, and stop at the Dakakker (rooftop farm) along the way.