DE ROTTERDAM

De Rotterdam is conceived as a vertical city: three interconnected mixed-use towers accommodating offices, apartments, a hotel, conference facilities, gym, shops, restaurants, and cafes. The project began in 1997. Construction started at the end of 2009, with completion scheduled for 2013. The various programs of this urban complex are organized into distinct blocks, providing both clarity and synergy: residents and office workers alike can use the fitness facilities, restaurants, and conference rooms of the hotel. And these private users of the building have contact with the general public on the ground floor, with its waterfront cafes. The lobbies for the offices, hotel, and apartments are located in the plinth - a long elevated hall that serves as a general traffic hub for De Rotterdam’s wide variety of users.
I focused in particular on the ground floor and also on proposals for roof gardens and an interior proposal for the hotel. The starting point for materialising the ground floor was to create a unity between the various areas, such as lobbies, public areas, restaurants and shops. There is the same outer facade around the plinth, with the same working details. The finishing of walls, floors and ceiling has been kept the same as much as possible. Together with the spatial reception this determines the perception of the architecture of the building. Materials that are used with the general finishing can also be found in the interior and are connected to each other inextricably in this way. The dark grey natural stone floor and the key cladding of travertine in combination have a modest high representative quality. The columns are dark-grey concrete colossuses. The bronzed brass wall covering of the lift pockets have a golden glow. Because the light changes during the day, the reflection will also change and create a lively changing perception of the interior areas. In order to increase this effect even more, this material is also applied in the fixed design. The counters will have the same covering. Fixed lighting elements from floor to ceiling will have a brass interior layer. Large chandeliers with vertical lineation will also be placed in the lobby of the houses and the lobby of the hotel. The fixed furniture is clearly present because of its large dimensions. Materials that are used for the fixed furniture include: bronzed brass, travertine and felt. The fixed furniture is supported by cube-shaped elements that can be used as a seating element or side table. The cubes may be made of different material. Robust material such as concrete may be combined with delicate brass.

Construction phase / interiors De Rotterdam
Client: De Rotterdam CV, The Hague (Joint venture MAB, The Hague / OVG, Rotterdam)
Partner: Ellen van Loon
Associate / project architect: Kees van Casteren
Team 2011- interiors: Marlies Boterman
With: Nathalie Gozdziak, Mengxi Wu, Tom Shadbolt, Sai Shu, Boris Tikvarski
Start design 1997, Start construction phase 2010, Finished november 2013