The Office for Metropolitan Architecture {OMA} and Dutch developmentcompany, Multi Vastgoed will today present the concept design for amixed-use building situated in the heart of Rotterdam’s shoppingdistrict, the Coolsingel. A historic ABN AMRO building will become partof the project which contains 120.000m2 of program, including 30.000m2of retail and 70.000m2 of office, residential, culture and leisurespace. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2011, opening in 2013. The design for the project is triggered by two strong observations ofsite and height. The site is positioned in what is regarded as the truecentre of Rotterdam, where the city’s most important streets:Coolsingel, Lijnbaan, Binnenweg and Beurstraverse merge. The secondobservation is on Rotterdam’s current construction development thatalmost entirely consists of tower projects. This can create animpressive skyline, but limited functionality and lack of engagementwith the surrounding public can fail to enhance or enliven the centre.Ratherthan a tower project competing for height, this design aims to changethe identity of the city centre by inserting the pure form of a cubeinto existing buildings. Voids within the cube introduce configurationsthat bring daylight into the cube whilst providing views to thesurroundings. The open space of the site is a courtyardsurrounded by architectural monuments including the building offinancial institution, ABN-AMRO, an impressive bank building that wasthe first to be erected in the city center after World War II. “OMAconsiders it a challenge to integrate these valuable buildings withinthe design. The bank will be given a prominent role in the new plan,”said OMA partner, Floris Alkemade.“It will form the base for thenew developments and the striking entrance will become a main addresson Coolsingel. The current owner, ABN-AMRO, will remain an importantuser in the future but with new retail program the building will bereinvigorated and become more accessible,” he said.The base ofthe cube will consist of 5 floors of retail space and within thesefloors connections are made to the streets of Lijnbaan, Binnenwegplein,Coolsingel, Beurstraverse, with the potential to connect to an existingunderground station. Parking for both residents and offices will besituated below the retail floors.Public program such asrestaurants, exhibition and media spaces are located in the middle andtop floors of the cube. From these floors the public will overlook theentire Rotterdam area. The biggest challenge of attracting the publicto travel upwards within the building is resolved through the use ofslanted public elevators that stop at selected few floors.Energy-efficientconcepts play an integral role in the development of the design withclose collaboration with energy consultant to optimize the daylightcondition and energy use inside the building. OMA is alsodesigning another building for Multi Vastgoed: the KoninginJulianaplein towers in The Hague, of which construction will start nextyear.The Rotterdam project is led by OMA partners Floris Alkemade and Rem Koolhaas in collaboration with project leader Mark Veldman
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