Mei architects and planners – Kraton 230, 2008

#HEADQUARTERS #OFFICE #THENETHERLANDS

Mei architects and planners – www.mei-arch.eu

The Kraton building houses the new headquarters of regional radio and television station RTV Rijnmond and forms the heart of the audio-visual sector in Rotterdam.

The sturdy character of the RTV Rijnmond building is a direct reference to the large size of the adjacent Schiecentrale, a former electricity generating station, and to the imposing ships that used to dock on the quay nearby. The fa ade of the building is made of rusty brown cast-iron panels that are decorated with maritime and audio-visual motifs designed by Studio Job.
The ground-floor fa ade facing Lloydstraat is a transparent wall of glass below two cantilevered levels faced with steel panels. That gives this section of the building the character of a large awning that directs attention to the entrance and studios.

The entrance leads to a large hall containing studio spaces where radio and TV programmes are produced. The studios hanging in the space and the big void give the setting the character of an industrial factory floor where news is processed.
The whole setting has the character of a container crane placed indoors. Other structural elements also recall the industrial port activities of days gone by. The exposed sturdy bolt connections combine with the rusty fa ade to give the building a subtly well-used appearance.

The structure of the building and the square are clearly visible from the street through the glazed fa ade. The images of current news on the big projection screens on the square are the first things that grab attention. The circle of news processing is thus complete: news comes from the street, is then processed in the building and is then visible again from the street.

CREDITS:

Architects: Mei architects and planners

Location: Lloydstraat 23, Rotterdam

Surface: 12000 m²

Year/Status: 2008/built

Materials: steel construction, facade of structural glass and cast iron

Project Team: Robert Winkel , Robert Platje , Hennie Dankers , Erwin Verhoeve , Theun Frankema , Michel Zaan , David Lesterhuis

Client/Contractor: Ontwikkelingsbedrijf Rotterdam (OBR)

Partner/Consultants: Structural engineer: Pieters Bouwtechniek , Delft – MEP: Deerns – Buildings physics: EBM Consult – Fire safety: Ralph Hamerlinck – Building management: Triplan Raadgevende ingenieurs – Cost consultant: Basalt bouwadvies – Signing: Bureau Mijksenaar – Interior: DoupelJoubertStrijkers and Mei architects and planners – Artist: Studio Job, Antwerpen – Construction: Visser & Smit Bouw, Papendrecht

Photography: Jeroen Musch