Dutch architecture firm MVRDV, in collaboration with SYNRG, has received official approval to construct Schieblocks, a groundbreaking 47,000-square-meter office building in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The project, developed by LSI and marketed as The Bluezone Offices, will occupy a narrow site along the railway line, reaching an impressive height of 61 meters and extending almost 150 meters in length. The comprehensive program includes commercial spaces at ground level, modern office facilities throughout the building, and a restaurant and event venue on the upper floors.
Conceived as a "3D neighborhood," the innovative design breaks down the large volume into a series of colorful, distinct blocks that incorporate numerous references to Rotterdam's unique architectural character. The project is strategically located within the Schiekadeblok, a post-war reconstruction district composed of small office buildings that have evolved into a vibrant cultural destination featuring creative workplaces, bars, and clubs. As the city advances plans to densify this area while preserving its distinctive identity, the design of Schieblocks seeks to respect and extend this existing context.
At ground level, the building's plinth is designed for maximum openness, accommodating various public amenities including a concept store, bakery, and bike café. The structure also provides access to a three-story, 230-space underground parking garage. One of the site's unique constraints, a protected car-parking ramp belonging to the adjacent Central Post building, has been creatively integrated as the centerpiece of a glass-enclosed bar called the Wokkelbar, adding a distinctive feature to the neighborhood's nightlife scene.
Responding thoughtfully to the scale and form of the surrounding reconstruction-era buildings, the massing strategically echoes the Schiekadeblok's façade along Delftsestraat. The structure is divided horizontally into four distinct sections, each featuring a defined plinth and one or two volumes above, effectively adding 11 new "Schieblocks" to the area. This composition evokes the nearby post-war blocks, stacked vertically in what the architects describe as a "second reconstruction." Several upper blocks are carefully carved according to sun angles to avoid casting shadows on residential homes across the railway.
The top of the building incorporates additional public amenities, including a restaurant and a two-story cultural and social event space arranged around a tribune with spectacular city views. The building also features an accessible green roof designed by Juurlink & Geluk, incorporating water-retaining landscapes, a continuous rooftop promenade, and a pergola supporting solar panels for sustainable energy generation.
The façade design draws direct inspiration from Rotterdam's rich architectural heritage. Inspired by Donald Judd's colorful furniture series, each block combines a specific color with a fenestration pattern that references local buildings. One block adopts projecting bay windows from the Huig Maaskant-designed Citrusveiling building and pairs them with the bright yellow of the former Luchtsingel bridge. Another block uses the distinctive sandstone tone of Rotterdam's city hall, integrating windows that form "010," the city's dialing code, within octagonal frames referencing nearby Hofplein 19.
The materials follow a contemporary and sustainable approach to construction. Two blocks incorporate recycled brick to significantly reduce embodied carbon, while three employ Building Integrated Photovoltaic panels on the south-facing façade to contribute to on-site energy generation. This commitment to sustainability reflects modern architectural practices and environmental responsibility.
"Squeezing a building in this narrow space next to the railway was a tough challenge, not to mention the complexity of building around a National Monument with the Wokkelbar," said Winy Maas, MVRDV founding partner. "But the Schieblocks will be a colorful addition to the city. This is how people will see Rotterdam when arriving by train: diverse, bright, and bold. And in its boldness, it is a call to action for the future of Rotterdam – from the 'wederopbouw', the reconstruction, we must shift to the 'tweederopbouw', the second reconstruction."
This project represents one of several major architectural developments recently announced. Other notable projects include MVRDV's completion of two 36-story residential towers on Irwell Bank Road in Singapore featuring a pixelated façade, Foster & Partners' new master plan for redeveloping the former FIX brewery in Thessaloniki, Greece as a mixed-use district, and Kéré Architecture's proposal for the 40,000-square-meter Biblioteca dos Saberes in Rio de Janeiro's Cidade Nova neighborhood.
