MVRDV unveils "eye-catching" Rotterdam exhibition centre topped with viewpoint

Dutch studio MVRDV has completed the Portlantis exhibition centre that doubles as a viewing tower overlooking the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

Designed to serve as a "beacon" for the port, the Portlantis centre is composed of five rotated and stacked blocks containing 3,533-square-metres of exhibition and public space.

A twisting, red staircase winds around the centre to connect visitors from its beach-front entrance to a rooftop terrace designed to be a panoramic viewpoint.

"Portlantis is a beacon, it's eye-catching, but it's also a kind of watchtower," studio co-founder Winy Maas said.

"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 there."

"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," Maas added.

Using "simple and industrial" materials, MVRDV designed the centre's structure to be demountable.

Each block is sat on a square plan and complete with expansive openings that are each oriented in a different direction to optimise views across the surrounding landscape.

Terraces at each level offer additional viewing points for visitors.

Inside, Portlantis is organised around a 22-metre-tall circular atrium that traverses the building's five floors, and is crowned with a circular skylight and mirrored ceiling.

A staircase winds around the space for circulation and is adorned by a kinetic sculpture that hangs in its centre.

The building has a cafe at ground level, which is lit by glazing that overlooks the surrounding dunes, while three upper levels contain permanent exhibition space.

Designed by Amsterdam-based studio Kossmanndejong, each of the three exhibition floors respond to a different theme, with their expansive windows oriented to focus on elements that "enhance the content of the exhibition".

The building's top floor is occupied by a restaurant, with openings that face sunset views over the North Sea and the port's skyline at night.

Polished flooring, grey walls and exposed services were used throughout the interior.

Meanwhile, an entirely red finish was used for the centre's tiled rooftop terrace, where visitors can look down into the centre through the atrium's skylight opening.

According to the studio, the centre is "better than energy-neutral in operation" – generating 30 per cent more energy than it uses. Additionally, efficient insulation and a heat pump help to reduce the building's energy requirements.

Elsewhere, an aluminium-clad tower has been added to Lina Bo Bardi's Museu de Arte de São Paolo and designs have been unveiled for the renovation of the British Museum's Western Range galleries in London.

The photography is by Ossip van Duivenbode.

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