100 years of architecture in Rotterdam
1985: Housing for Young People Kruisplein
The Kruisplein square is a
node in the tramway network without any pretences. In the near future it will be
redesigned. On its western edge two appartment buildings deserve some attention.
Both are the result of a competition that was organised in the course of a
rigouras urban renewal project in the Oude Westen district. They were targeted
at young renters. The buildings were built in 1985 and designed by Mecanoo
architecs who won their very first commission. In the following years they had
the opportunity to add quite a number of projects to Rotterdam. Mecanoo's style
has been labelled as
neo-Modernism.
This
style refers back to post war
Modernism
v (Aalto, Lubetkin), but is far less rigid in its aproach.
The complex is the link between the modern post war city centre and the 19th century residential area to the west of it. The project comprises a block of 10 stories and semi-circle segment of 5 stories above shops. At top of the higher segment a roof garden was made. The high rise appartments can be reached via access galleries, while the lower part has a porch entrance. Communal areas can be reached by stairways.
After winning the competition the young architects Döll, Houben, Van Egeraat, Steenhuis and de Weijer founded Mecanoo Architecten. The agency got to a flying start. In their later work Mecanoo architects devoted more attention to the public spaces around their housing projects.
Completed in 1985:
Housing Schouwburgplein E. Hartsuyker
Housing Adrianastraat De Nijl
