construction starts on OMA's FORUM rotterdam

after years of uncertainty and conflict, the construction of FORUM Rotterdam has finally started. redesigned by OMA in collaboration with wessel de jonge architecten, the FORUM rotterdam project is based on a revised brief from the client multi drafted in 2014. first envisioned as an ambitious new building in the center of rotterdam sited between the ABN AMRO bank and the lijnbaan building, the FORUM has morphed into a renewal, transformation and renovation project of the existing block. the buildings showcase rotterdam’s urban history since 1940 – a mixture with traces of witteveen’s enclosed block architecture and van traa’s modern open plan urbanism.

the project is sited between the ABN AMRO bank and the lijnbaan building

knowing that they’re dealing with different types of architecture, OMA has approached the renewal of each structure from different perspectives. the ABN AMRO heritage building will be renovated to become accessible to the public through the bookstore located at the first two levels. the office tower constructed in the 1970s will accommodate 103 apartments, each with a large circular shaped balcony, bringing to life the rather dull office tower. as for the lijnbaan, its revitalization aims to facilitate the growing need for retail space. performing as a transparent screen, the façade of the building is designed as a reinterpretation of the original building concept: to absorb adjustments of the layouts of individual shops while maintaining a uniform character.

the scheme, which has been seeing changes since 2008, has finally started construction

the FORUM rotterdam is overall a project aimed to reconfigure the image of the center of the city. and even though the plan of inserting a transparent 66-meter-high and 65-meter-wide cube has radically changed at the end of 2014, the program continues to hold an extensive span of 60,000 m2 for shops, homes, offices and catering.

the program’s main goal is to renovate the ABN-AMRO monument and the lijnbaan

the project spans on more than 60,000 square meters 

the program inside the cube won’t be happening anymore

drawing