The increasing densification in cities in the Netherlands has led to a growing competition for space, which places significant pressure on urban public and green spaces. Evident in Amsterdam, this raises questions concerning the city’s ability to sustain the wide range of benefits public green spaces can provide. However, with limited horizontal space still available, the city should explore innovative solutions to create new space in the urban landscape. In this context, retrofitting existing rooftops has sparked significant interest and the concept of rooftop parks has emerged as the ultimate solution. This study explores the suitability of the existing roof stock in Amsterdam for retrofit into rooftop parks, as an elevated layer of public urban green space. Employing a mixed-method approach, it defines the concept of rooftop parks within the city’s context, establishes guiding principles for rooftop parks, presents a holistic framework to assess roof suitability based on 11 key building and urban contextual criteria and analyses the application of this framework. In this way, an answer is ultimately provided as to the extent to which roofs in Amsterdam are suitable for rooftop park retrofitting. Adding to existing rooftop development perspectives, findings support informed future decision-making, ultimately contributing to Amsterdam’s commitment to creating a more sustainable, liveable and climate-resilient city for all residents.