Rotterdam is continually evolving. The city is famed for its great diversity of 20th-century architecture as well as for its newer ultramodern structures. In each issue, we shine a spotlight on one of Rotterdam Central District’s iconic buildings. This time, we focus on the Schieblock. Transformed from a serviceable office block into a creative, inclusive collective workspace, plans for the future Schiekadeblok make this the perfect moment to shine a light on the old block in all its venerable glory.
Creative and inclusive
Most of us are familiar with the name Schieblock. In fact, initial plans for the reconstruction of the Central District called for its demolition, but the real estate crisis threw a spanner in the works and the building was left intact. In 2002, the Rotterdam-based architecture agency ZUS moved in to keep squatters out, and then in 2011 was given the opportunity to manage the property for five years. Since then, a host of businesses have arrived to lend Schieblock an increasingly creative and public character. These days, it’s a thriving multifunctional building where people come to work, meet and share. The ground floor is occupied by Urban Guides, Steel Rides, Studio Beng Beng, Poing and Time is the new space. All the way at the top is DakAkker, the Netherlands’ very first harvestable roof, joined in 2014 by the Op Het Dak restaurant, whose kitchen works with urban produce. VPS Nederland currently operates the building.
Most of us are familiar with the name Schieblock. In fact, initial plans for the reconstruction of the Central District called for its demolition, but the real estate crisis threw a spanner in the works and the building was left intact. In 2002, the Rotterdam-based architecture agency ZUS moved in to keep squatters out, and then in 2011 was given the opportunity to manage the property for five years. Since then, a host of businesses have arrived to lend Schieblock an increasingly creative and public character. These days, it’s a thriving multifunctional building where people come to work, meet and share. The ground floor is occupied by Urban Guides, Steel Rides, Studio Beng Beng, Poing and Time is the new space. All the way at the top is DakAkker, the Netherlands’ very first harvestable roof, joined in 2014 by the Op Het Dak restaurant, whose kitchen works with urban produce. VPS Nederland currently operates the building.
Luchtsingel
The ZUS architectural firm was also behind the brilliantly yellow Luchtsingel. Development of this ‘air canal’ got off to a – somewhat shaky – start in 2012. The idea was to literally link the building and the city by a bridge to bring them closer together. The wooden structure spans the busy Schiekade to the Hofplein viaduct and cuts straight through the Schieblock to end in Biergarten.
Architects:
W. Verschoor and W.H. Verschoor
Completed:
April 1960
Address:
Schiekade 189
Floor area:
9,045 m2
Past tenant:
Nillmij, Ooms and Van Vliet & Van Dulst
Current tenants:
ZUS, Operator, Almost Modern, Pinkman, We Are You, Mess, Zoarchitecten, Spatie and many more.
To read more about this building, take a look at wederopbouwrotterdam.nl.
The ZUS architectural firm was also behind the brilliantly yellow Luchtsingel. Development of this ‘air canal’ got off to a – somewhat shaky – start in 2012. The idea was to literally link the building and the city by a bridge to bring them closer together. The wooden structure spans the busy Schiekade to the Hofplein viaduct and cuts straight through the Schieblock to end in Biergarten.
Architects:
W. Verschoor and W.H. Verschoor
Completed:
April 1960
Address:
Schiekade 189
Floor area:
9,045 m2
Past tenant:
Nillmij, Ooms and Van Vliet & Van Dulst
Current tenants:
ZUS, Operator, Almost Modern, Pinkman, We Are You, Mess, Zoarchitecten, Spatie and many more.
To read more about this building, take a look at wederopbouwrotterdam.nl.
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