Rotterdam, 25th of November 2025 — Shift announces today that its international design competition has entered a decisive stage with the confirmation of a location for its Landmark in the new neighbourhood of Waterkant, in Rotterdam.
The Shift Landmark is conceived as a bold, purpose-driven destination that inspires action toward a sustainable future from individuals, companies and organisations. The expected 1 million annual visitors will encounter more than 10.000 m2 of powerful future and sustainability related immersive art installations. The largest part of the exposition tells the stories of people, collectives and (social) entrepreneurs in the areas of nature, energy, travel, circularity and the home, but also covers topics such as our role as citizens, leadership at work and systemic change. Companies and organisations can organise events and retreats that foster future thinking, and enjoy hospitality experiences that extend the message of regeneration such as a hotel and several restaurants. The total investment is estimated to be around €240 million and the total size of the landmark will be between 25.000-30.000 m2.
Shift will contribute to the district’s social and economic strength, creating accessible spaces for local residents, including those that support neighbourhood learning and community building. Schools from the surrounding area will have access to the Shift immersive experience free of charge, ensuring the landmark directly benefits the communities it serves.
The Waterkant is set to become one of Europe’s most forward-looking urban environments. The area will feature 3,750 new homes, schools, maker spaces, sports facilities, a new train station, offices, restaurants and cultural spaces. The area will become a resilient, nature-positive urban model built around a new tidal park and is aligned with the city’s long-term climate adaptation strategy.
Waterkant has high ambitions for setting a next benchmark in future oriented urban development. Parking is situated under an elevated landscape and in two smart mobility hubs that concentrate shared mobility, reducing private car use. Energy systems will be organised at the district-scale, and circular construction strategies and biodiversity will play a major role in future development.
Shift matches Rotterdam’s ambition of becoming the cultural hotspot of Europe, by adding a new cultural institution that focuses on a sustainable future and creating new sustainable jobs and opportunities in Rotterdam Zuid. It also matches Rotterdam’s recently launched ambition of adding 1,000 hectares of extra green and water by 2050. As Holland’s premier architecture and urban planning playground, Rotterdam is committed to new sustainable initiatives such as Shift. A recent example is SAWA, an innovative, timber-built development on the Lloyd pier that was officially opened last week.
The Shift architecture competition has now entered its final stage and runs through February, 2026 after which the five finalist proposals will be fully evaluated by an international jury. On Tuesday 3rd of March, the process culminates in a combined jury day and public event, where the finalists present their designs to an audience of around 300 people, including local public and private stakeholders, impact investors, and institutional investors. This moment will help determine the winning design by the jury and offers the public an early glimpse at a future landmark for Rotterdam. Shift's goal is to open the landmark in 2031.
"We are delighted that Shift has chosen Waterkant and is keen to take the next steps towards realising its plans here. If the plans go ahead, it will be a tremendous contribution to Waterkant. Rotterdammers will benefit from dedicated community zones within Shift, alongside the influx of cultural visitors, innovators and entrepreneurs whose presence strengthens the area’s economic base"
“We see potential in Shift’s choice for the Waterkant, where we’re exploring how nature, water and urban living can strengthen one another. It could become a clear example of how we keep building sustainably in Rotterdam. I’m keen to hear how residents envision this sustainable public attraction in their neighbourhood and how it might add to everyday life”
"We chose Rotterdam for the Shift Landmark, because it is a city of doers. This is a place where audacious architecture can take root. Projects such as SAWA—show that Rotterdam is ambitious in circular and sustainable construction. Waterkant has high ambitions in sustainability, energy, nature, biodiversity and mobility and we see the potential of becoming the lighthouse for “the neighbourhood of the future”
Launched in January with a prize pool of €250,000, the Shift International Architecture Competition seeks to design an iconic landmark that will become a “new world wonder” – one whose design and visitor experience fosters deep emotional connection and inspires large-scale behavioral change in response to the climate crisis.
Shift emphasizes that the Landmark should envision the next level of sustainable architecture. Within this new space, a permanent program curated by Shift will encourage and nurture sustainable behaviors. Using immersive experiences, it will highlight the authentic stories of climate and sustainability champions.
The competition is overseen by New York-based agency DVDL. Architects from 50 countries downloaded the brief, with 80 teams submitting proposals.
From all the proposals submitted, Shift and an international jury selected five teams to advance to the second stage of the Shift International Architecture Competition:
Shift’s Landmark is part of a bigger mission: to move people from passive awareness to active participation in solving the climate crisis. Through immersive experience, emotional storytelling, and community engagement, Shift aims to trigger a social tipping point—where sustainable living becomes the new normal.
More information: competition.shift.world
Aric Chen, Director, Zaha Hadid Foundation
Astrid Leyssens, Founder, We Are Impact Collective
Ben van Berkel, Founder, UNS
Carice van Houten, Activist, Actress
Clemens Brenninkmeijer, former Head of Sustainability, Redevco
Dr. Lewis Akenji, Executive Director, Hot or Cool Institute
Géke Roelink, Director, NEMO Science Museum
Lodewijk Hoekstra, Ambassador and Presenter
Matthias Schuler, Founder, TRANSSOLAR
Mireia Luzárraga, Co-Founder, TAKK
Nicole Maarsen, Real Estate Investor and Trusted Advisor
About Shift
Shift is a social, steward-owned enterprise founded by entrepreneur Don Ritzen. Ritzen believes that behavioural change is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to climate change and that it is overlooked because of the controversy. That is why he set out to find an approach that could inspire millions.
Shift is one of only 80 Dutch companies to have passed the accreditation process of the Social Enterprise Code, which means impact comes first.
Before starting Shift, Ritzen co-founded Amsterdam-based accelerator Rockstart, which has offices in Bogota, Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Since its founding in 2010, Rockstart has invested in more than 350 early-stage startups, including many impact-oriented companies such as Peerby, Sympower and Hubs. Today, the Rockstart companies combined are worth EUR 1.7 billion.
About DVDL
The competition advisor DVDL is a New York-based agency of cultural planners working on visitor experience, placemaking, cultural strategy in North America, Europe and the Middle East.