Iconic Brutalist design updated to accommodate changing uses

The renovation of Erasmus University's iconic Tinbergen building has restarted in Rotterdam, with Tenderstream member cepezed and cepezedinterieur revising previous designs in order to feature further sustainability measures to the BREEAM-Excellent certified plans. The building on Woudestein Campus - which houses the Erasmus School of Economics  - was constructed between 1963 and 1970, with the original design by Cornelis Elffers still exuding the atmosphere of brutalist functionalism. The modernisation is intended to accommodate changing uses, while retaining the monumental qualities of the building.

The building’s structural base consists of an eye-catching three-storey table structure in clean concrete, followed by seventeen identical storeys above. The renovation is aimed at bringing the building into line with today’s technical and functional requirements, involving the removal of later additions and providing the interior with much-needed air and space. A generous void and staircase will connect the different entrance levels, creating a spacious, public heart with interesting visual corridors. The hall will contain a coffee bar, information point, study areas, and a restaurant. cepezedinterieur designed the custom furniture for both the entrance zones and the high-rise floors of the high-rise,  together with the range of materials and loose furnishings for the entire renovation. 

In addition to teaching and administrative functions, the building will house an extensive conference centre and faculty club, which will host campus-wide meetings and festivities currently situated on the 17th floor. After the transformation, they be positioned more prominently in a fully-glazed new 19th floor, also containing a restaurant with spectacular views over the Rotterdam skyline.

Lucy Nordberg
Tenderstream Head of Research

This tender was first published by Tenderstream on 14.03.2016 here

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