ODA new york unveils redesign for rotterdam's historic post office

ODA new york has been commissioned to redesign a historic building in rotterdam. sitting vacant for more than a decade, the former central post office, the ‘postkantoor’, aims to bring new life back to the city’s center. ‘POST rotterdam’, is a 58,000 sqm adaptive reuse project, and aims to reconnect the postkantoor to its energetic surroundings — to reclaim its place as a meaningful and civic component of the city’s urban fabric.

image by forbes massie (also main image)

ODA is working closely with braaksma & roos architecten bureau to create a combination of residential, retail, and hospitality programming, with ABT serving as the local architect. the design conceives of a dynamic mixed-use design, resolving to both preserve and adapt the postkantoor’s original construction. the POST, a building to be celebrated and enjoyed, will be a civic node distinguished by seamless connectivity.

image by forbes massie

the new 150-meter tower will rise towards the rear of the postkantoor and straddle the existing open courtyard. the vaulted plinth of the tower will greatly enhance the experience of the courtyard, coupling it with the great hall of the postkantoor. in a subtle nod to context, ODA mirrors the rhythm of five-foot spacing between columns on the façade in a stone grid that defines the tower. designed with nonpareil windows, the POST tower shows openings that vary in size and shape to funnel daylight. this variety sets a break from the series of glass-façade towers along the new rotterdam skyline, and celebrates the elegance of the main hall along its profile.

image by forbes massie

at street level, the majestic great hall — a vaulted, 1916 marvel soaring 22.5 meters (almost 74 feet) in height — will undergo a faithful restoration to serve as the project’s public heart, fed by existing entrances at coolsingel and meent. a new entrance on rodezand will render the hall accessible from all sides, and will connect with the building’s back courtyard to form a sweeping passageway. with construction set to begin in 2019, this project provides an opportunity to create a cohesive civic vision for the postkantoor; bringing people, place, and events together.

image by forbes massie

‘we believe that it’s time for the POST to stand not only as a memory, but also as an expression of the strength of rotterdam today as a vibrant, connected, center of culture, renewal, and quality of life. we believe that the hidden treasures that it holds should be shared by all citizens,’ says eran chen, executive director at ODA. ‘the POST tower is a reinterpretation of both urban living and the post office’s architectural assets, extending the elegance of the main hall through to the tower. this modern addition to the ensemble buildings in the coolsingel district is based on an extremely rigorous investigation combined with the expertise gained over two years working with city partners.’

image by forbes massie