Accsys, the world’s leading supplier of premium, high-performance and sustainable wood building materials is proud to announce that Accoya wood decking has been installed for the rooftop terrace of the world-famous NEMO Science Museum, a landmark building in Amsterdam designed by the renowned architect Renzo Piano.
Located in the heart of Amsterdam, directly above the city’s busy waterfront and opposite a boardwalk that has featured Accoya decking for over a decade, NEMO’s rooftop terrace is one of the city’s most recognisable public spaces. Exposed to sun, rain, and the nearby waterways, the project is a living showcase of Accoya’s unmatched durability and stability, a real-world test of time in challenging conditions.
The rooftop terrace uses 1,200m² of Accoya natural decking boards with integrated anti-slip strips, ensuring safety for visitors in all weather conditions.
Construction of the rooftop was a major undertaking: laying the Accoya decking with its aluminium substructure took approximately 10 weeks, while the entire roof renovation project spanned around nine months.
NEMO’s rooftop garden is the highest in Amsterdam and a popular attraction for both residents and tourists, offering panoramic city views and a unique open-air experience above the museum’s exhibition spaces. The terrace was part of recent renovations, during which earlier concrete elements were replaced to address a structural leak, providing the opportunity to choose a sustainable, long-lasting wood solution.
Steyn van Hamersveld, Facility Manager at NEMO, states, “The NEMO terrace is subject to constant exposure – sun, rain, and the humid conditions of Amsterdam’s waterfront. For such an environment, we needed a material that combines long-term dimensional stability with minimal maintenance. Accoya provides exactly that, ensuring the decking will perform reliably under heavy foot traffic for decades.”
Pergas Sellappah, Head of Sales in Benelux at Accsys comments, “We are proud that NEMO has chosen Accoya for such an iconic public space in the heart of Amsterdam. The project showcases how Accoya delivers not only exceptional durability and performance in demanding conditions, but also a sustainable and locally manufactured solution that aligns with the city’s vision for resilient, future-proof architecture. From the new rooftop terrace to the nearby Accoya boardwalk still performing flawlessly after more than a decade, Amsterdam continues to be a living showcase of what Accoya can achieve.”
Building on the success of the rooftop renovation, discussions are already underway to expand Accoya’s role at NEMO, with future plans to create custom-made benches for visitors.