The roof as medicine: from hospital bed to football wall
Hospitals are known for white corridors, medical equipment and waiting times. But in Utrecht, the Wilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis (WKZ) is proving that things can be different. Since 2016, there has been an interactive sports and play cage on the hospital's roof. A safe place where children in rehabilitation, treatment or long-term admission can get back to doing what every child needs: moving, having fun and feeling free.
This roof terrace is much more than a sports field. It is a place of recovery, of meeting, of hope.
From idea to impact
The first seeds for this special rooftop project were planted during the Tour de France start in Utrecht in 2015. Under the banner 'WKZ Sportief', initiator Ewout Tuyt wanted to literally get children moving. No dull exercise rooms or sitting still in bed, but outdoor air, sports and experiences.
With the help of sponsors and the 'We colour yellow' campaign, an impressive €445,000 was raised. Enough to realise the plan: an innovative, interactive sports cage on the roof terrace of WKZ. In 2016, Olympic skater Jochem Uytdehaage opened this special place together with Mayor Van Zanen
Technology + care = playful recovery
The implementation was handled by Vario Fields, which provided the roof with a safe, low-maintenance artificial grass surface, including integrated drainage and wheelchair and walker accessibility.
Above it came a high-tech sports cage from Yalp, equipped with, among other things:
- The Sutu football wall: reacts to shots with light and sound;
- The Toro goals: stimulating creative play;
- Sensors and audio that reward movement and increase challenge.
The result? A play area that is both physically and cognitively challenging, that invites children to get out of bed, as well as being fully adapted to the needs of young patients with varying mobility.
"By using smart technology in play equipment, you not only make play and rehabilitation more fun and challenging, but the results are also measurable"
More than a pitch on height
What started as an experiment grew into a regular part of hospital life. Physiotherapists use the rooftop at rehabilitation sessions. Nurses take patients for a breath of fresh air. Parents meet at the fence while their children laugh, run and play.
The effects are noticeable and measurable:
- Less stress, more recovery; parents and nurses signal faster recovery and better mood.
- Equal encounter; children with and without disabilities play together, without barriers.
- Medical value; physiologists see improved motor skills and motivation through playful stimuli
- Durable & robust; the interactive sports cage has been working faultlessly for years and is resistant to intensive use and weather conditions, maintenance-friendly, robust and always available for the children.
An example with international allure
The sports roof of the WKZ has become an inspiration for healthcare institutions worldwide. In Belgium, the University Hospital Antwerp built a similar sports roof, supported by the Jan Vertonghen Foundation. The United States is also experimenting with sports in healthcare environments.
The message is clear: the combination of care, technology and spatial innovation works and deserves to be emulated.
Rethink the Roof
At Sports + Vitality, we believe in the power of the roof as an extension of the living environment - even in hospitals, care facilities and rehabilitation centres. The WKZ shows how to bring together care, play, space and technology to create a unique place of healing.
That is why we challenge healthcare organisations in the Netherlands and Europe:
- Who will build the next rooftop sports cage?
- Which hospital or care hotel dares to literally lift up recovery?
With the magazine 'Roofs with Impact' we bring these examples together. Already 20+ cases from home and abroad show: the space is there. Now the vision.
We help with:
Advice and concept development;
partner selection and supplier network;
Project coordination and grant applications;
communicatie en impactmeting.
Let's start a movement together. One where recovery doesn't just happen in bed - but with a ball, under the sun, on the roof.