The following description is courtesy of Powerhouse Company.
Rotterdam, The Netherlands – Moored at Rijnhaven port in Rotterdam, Powerhouse Company’s floating office for the Global Center on Adaptation is a building for a new age. Off-grid and carbon-neutral, it will float – rather than flood – if water levels rise due to climate change. Fun as well as functional, it also forms a key element in a newly redeveloped port environment by providing public waterside space – and even a swimming pool.
FOR the future
We designed our floating office to reflect the values of its inhabitants: the Global Center on Adaptation. This Rotterdam NGO aims at promoting planning, investment and technology to mitigate climate change. Our climate-resilient office is both an illustration of the center’s mission and an inspiration for others. With its own solar energy source and water-based heat-exchange system, it’s completely self-sufficient.
‘The building structure is designed in wood and can easily be demounted and re-used. It’s ready for the circular economy.’ – Paul Sanders Project Project Leader, Architect at Powerhouse Company
The use of wood as a main construction material reduces the carbon footprint of the building dramatically. Overhanging floors balconies create permanent sun shading which allows for large windows with plenty of daylight flooding into the office floors. Besides the offices, FOR also feature public facilities: a restaurant with a large outdoor terrace, with as a special addition a floating swimming pool in the Maas river.
‘Designing a sustainable, floating office building was a very challenging commission and we approached it in an integrated way. By using the water of the Rijnhaven to cool the building, and by using the roof of the office as a large energy source, the building is truly autarkic.’ – Nanne de Ru, founder of Powerhouse Company
‘Our technical and sustainable systems are so well integrated with our design that they feel quite matter-of-fact’ – Albert Takashi Richters Associate Architect at Powerhouse Company
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Project Details
- Architect: Powerhouse Company
- Developer: RED Company
- Client: Global Center on Adaptation, Municipality of Rotterdam
- Financing: ABN Amro
- Project management: DVP
- Contractor: FOR Building VOF (consisting of Bouwbedrijf Valleibouw B.V. and Bouwbedrijf Osnabrugge B.V.)
- Contractor floating foundations: Hercules FC
- Structural engineer: Bartels & Vedder
- Wood structure engineer: Solid Timber
- MEP installations & sustainability: DWA
- Wood structure: Derix Gelamineerde Houtconstructies
- Building installations: Roodenburg Groep
- Glass: iFS Building Systems
- Steel: W. Ten Ham Plaatwerk
