Dutch architect MVRDV has announced that Portlantis, a 3,500 sq m exhibition centre that showcases the work of the Port of Rotterdam, has been completed.
The building is formed from five stacked and individually rotated boxes knitted together by a crimson staircase running between the ground floor and the roof.
Each floor has a panoramic window with a different view. For example, the café at the bottom faces west towards some dunes, and a fourth-floor restaurant offers views of the North Sea and the skyline of the port.
The building’s centre contains a 22m-tall atrium and exhibition space, currently occupied by a sculpture and a model of the port. It also has a mirrored ceiling and a rotating door that conceals the interior.
Portlantis’ permanent exhibition was designed by architect Kossmanndejong and spread over three levels, each exploring a different theme.
The building is made from demountable industrial materials and has a foundation that avoids the use of concrete piles, so it will leave no trace if it is ever removed.
Winy Maas, MVRDV’s cofounder, said: “Portlantis is a beacon; it’s eye-catching, but it’s also a kind of watchtower. When you live in Rotterdam, the port sits on the horizon – it’s ‘over there’ and many people don’t really know what goes on.
“Portlantis gives people a way to investigate, to see how things are changing in the port, how that relates to the city, and how it affects the life they live in the city. It does this extremely efficiently – like a machine for storytelling.”
Portlantis will open to the public tomorrow.
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