Description

Among the few remaining testimonies to the past in the port of Rotterdam – apart from the former Holland-America Line building, now the Hotel New York – are two warehouses adjoining the harbour basin: the Fenixloods. A long shipment warehouse was built on the site in 1923 and was used to store large items for transport that belonged to the passengers. The warehouse has since been rebuilt several times, first after the war, when it was demolished, then after a fire in the central section in 1954. This time, it was extended to one side to be nearer the quayside and divided into two separate halls: Fenix I and Fenix II.

Fenix I was converted by Rotterdam-based architects mei working for Heijmans property developers. On top of the two-storey hall, a residential building has been built that is nine storeys high on the waterfront, stepping down to five storeys at the rear on the south side. The new building is made of prefabricated concrete elements that rest on a loadbearing “table” made of steel weighing 1 million kilograms. The new residential building is therefore structurally independent of the old warehouse.

The presence of the new addition is, however, still visible within the warehouse building, which now houses a restaurant, a dance and sports studio and a multi-storey car park. Smooth, gleaming pillars bore through the ceiling at regular intervals, contrasting with the bare concrete walls, and are a constant reminder that 212 flats, complete with roof terraces, are stacked above it. The elevation of the building on the south side of the street has been reconstructed to the 1922 condition in smooth concrete subtly articulated with pilaster strips, and the sheet metal boarding of the former loading bays has been replaced by glazing. The north façade from the 1950s that looks onto the waterfront was retained, and a projecting mezzanine floor was added. Here too, strips of window glazing close off the openings of the former loading bays.

The apartments open onto a tall open courtyard in the interior of the block and are reached via outdoor walkways. Clad with timber, the flats vary inside from 40 m² to 300 m². 78 are for rent, 134 are owner-occupied and have varying floor plans according to the residents’ specific needs. The industrial aesthetic is continued within the apartments with exposed concrete and cantilevered concrete girders supporting the balconies painted with a rough, brushed-on render.

Originally published in Bauwelt 11.2020, pp. 42-45, abridged and edited for Building Types online, translated by Julian Reisenberger

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