CORE

New benchmark for the M4H-district

Project designed in collaboration with:
Ella Busser - Quirine Heijnen - Dylan van Mullekum - Bianca Sora - Jens Stevens

Centralized in the Merwehave district in Rotterdam and designed as one of the first new developments in the area, CORE forms the benchmark for further developments in the M4H district. A diverse, sustainable project is developed on the location of an old gasholder where there is room for residences, offices and culture.

Circulation through the building is subdivided into three levels. The public route through the interior garden to the event hall on the first floor of the gasholder (green). From this route the semi-public circulation diverges, leading to the offices. Finally, there is a functional route from the storage in the basement of the factory to the ‘backstage’ (although ‘substage’ would be more fitting) of the event hall.

To properly embed the building and the complex on the vital site in the district, it has been made well accessible from all sides. The factory adjacent to the gasholder has two entrances on opposite sides of the building to connect both sides of the public route through the building. Where one of the entrances (blue) is made slightly darker to create a contrast between the rough industrial context and the light interior garden, the other (green) is designed to create a smooth transition from outside to inside. Fitting to the gasholder, the entrance to the event hall inside is made similarly monumental (orange). As such, all three entrances have a slightly different atmosphere fitting to their function.

  • The offices in the old factory are located in different modules that are accessible through the garden. This creates a double leaf in the façade that ensures lower energy consumption of the building. In addition, this creates a nice visual contrast between the old, rough brickwork and the new, sophisticated wood. A contrast emphasized by the space between the walls.

  • The residential building, on the northern side of the plot, is erected around a wooden structure that is clearly visible on the inside of the building. The apartments are located around a central atrium that ensures light can penetrate deep into the building.

  • The wooden construction is wrapped by prefabricated wooden panels and corner elements. This drastically cuts back construction time and emissions.

  • As people move from the factory building to the old gasholder, they pass through a narrow corridor. There is a slow anticipation towards the dark and narrow corridor and on the other side the light gasholder suddenly opens up to you. This contrast was deliberately chosen to emphasize the openness of the event space in the gasholder.

  • The modules in the old factory building are placed in a light and open interior garden.

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