MVRDV to design 50,000m2 Weenapoint mixed-use complex in Rotterdam

For the third phase of the Weenapoint complex's transformation in Rotterdam, MVRDV was selected by developer Maarsen Groep to design a new mixed-use tower complex, which will replace an existing building on Kruisplein in the city's Central District. Set for a mid-2022 completion, the 50,000m2 mixed-use tower complex comprises 17,000 m2 of office space, a transparent plinth for shops and restaurants, and around 200-300 apartment units. Read on for more project details from MVRDV.

“We have opted for an architectural design that refers to the reconstruction period and compliments existing buildings such as Groothandelsgebouw and FIRST", says MVRDV Cofounder Jacob van Rijs. With special attention to the commercial plinth, “the ground floor and first floors have an open transparent character...” 

Maarsen Groep Managing Director Monique Maarsen described MVRDV's proposal as “a powerful and clear design that blends very well in the surrounding, [with] each function [having] its own distinct and recognizable appearance”.

Each of the program components have their own volume and position. The towers will accommodate offices and apartment units, while the transparent plinth will contain shops and restaurants with large windows. The towers feature “sun cuts” at different heights that allow extra sunlight at street level. At the heart of the complex, a covered square will connect the Weenapoint complex's green courtyard and the street.

The Dutch architecture firm has been revealing plenty of commercial projects as of late, including the “Silhouette” residential building in Moscow, the terraced “Valley” in Amsterdam, and the Nieuw Bergen redevelopment in Eindhoven, to name a few.

More project images in the gallery below.