mei architects to redevelop fenix I warehouse in rotterdam

the ‘fenix warehouse’, located opposite hotel new york and the rijnhaven bridge in katendrecht, rotterdam was completed in 1922. more commonly known as the san francisco warehouse, the two-level structure was designed by architect C.N. van goor. the 360m long form was created out of necessity, due to the considerable expansion of the fleet and routes run by the holland american cruise line.

towards the end of the second war, parts of ‘fenix’ were destroyed: in particular, the quay and a large central section, the latter was eventually rebuilt as fenix square. the area was rebuilt in the mid 50s, this time as two forms, ‘fenix I’ and ‘fenix II’ respectively. unfortunately the revitalized warehouses didn’t stay relevant very long. in the 1980s, port activities were relocated further west, effectively deeming them obsolete.

it wasn’t until 2007 that the city of rotterdam began to make moves to restructure and transform the forgotten port areas. after very successfully transforming the katendrecht district, other disadvantaged locations were considered.

in 2013, dutch firm mei architects and planners were awarded with the honor of redeveloping the ‘fenix I’ warehouse. the team developed a mixed program that includes housing, workspaces, car parking, and facilities for various leisure activities. on top of the structure, mei plans to place around 200 loft apartments.

a layer consisting of a massive, space-frame structure separates the old from the new, and can accommodate either residences or offices. it is largely open, with magnificent views that look to the rijnhaven and the wilhelminapier. each loft, in addition to its interior, features a 2.5 meter deep outdoor space that extends the full width of the apartment.

the ‘fenix I’ exterior consists of large industrial braces with glazed paneling inset between them. the repetitious element gives the building an industrial looking fitting to its dockland surroundings. however, the industrial-ness stays outside stays outside. inside, an oasis of plants and warm materials invokes a feeling of security carefully created for modern families and businesses. 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: nick brink | designboom