Rotterdam Kop van Zuid with Hotel New York and the Cruise Terminal by Hans Kool

Kop van Zuid is a new neighbourhood in Rotterdam, located on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas river opposite the city centre. The district consists of Wilhelminapier and the V bounded by the Rosestraat / Rotterdam-Dordrecht railway line on the one hand and the Hilledijk / Hillestraat / Rijnhaven on the other.

Kop van Zuid has been and is being built on former disused port sites around the Binnenhaven, Entrepothaven, Rijnhaven, Spoorweghaven and Wilhelminapier. Together with the Nieuwe Maas, these port sites created a large physical distance between the centre north of the river and Rotterdam-Zuid. By transforming this area into an urban area and by creating good connections, an attempt was made to unite North and South.

In the early 1990s, a master plan was made by Riek Bakker and Teun Koolhaas. This plan was developed into an urban development plan over the years. Important elements in it are the connections to Rotterdam city centre through the Erasmus Bridge and Wilhelminaplein metro station, high-density urban areas with many amenities along the river, and residential areas along the inner harbours. Some historic buildings, such as Hotel New York, remained and were given a new function. Above all, there are and will be many skyscrapers. The Maastoren, the tallest building in the Benelux when completed, has stood here since 2010.