Rotterdam in development

93 R O T T E R D A M I N D E V E L O P M E N T | 2 0 1 8 now fleshed out the plan to create a provisional design. The key aim is for the four-storey office wing to be returned to its original style as far as possible: with lower ceilings, original wall finishes and similar features. However, the five-storey industrial wing will retain its rougher state, with the visible concrete showing the imprints from the formwork. In addition to a renovated interior, the building will be equipped with completely new installation technology. This is the draft plan that has been submitted to the Monuments Committee. DISTINCTIVE HOSPITALITY Traces of recent use are still visible on the loading and unloading floor. There are tables and benches made from unfinished wood, a forest of vertical fluorescent bulbs hanging from the ceilings and a professional bar that appears to be in good condition. “Various special events will take place in the HAKA building during the planning development phase, making it temporarily accessible to the public. We now know that OBJECT Rotterdam and The International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) will take place in the HAKA building next year,” says Tim Wendrich from Dudok Group. Hospitality venues on the elevated ground floor will play a vital role in the redeveloped HAKA building. These are distinctive, high-value venues that people will go out of their way to visit for special occasions; they offer breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between. To make the hospitality aspect more attractive, the idea is to keep the steel loading doors permanently open, and to install doors made entirely of glass. The loading platform will be extended to allow for the creation of a south-facing terrace. The programme also contains plans for a rooftop/ sky bar in the form of a roof construction that will make extensive use of the current structures. The sky bar will have its own entrance, with a lift offering direct access to this extraordinary space. The panoramic view towards the port and the city is too amazing to ignore. “We are making the building publicly accessible from the early morning until late at night.” CATALYST “We’re putting a great deal of money into the renovation of the whole building, but the hospitality venues are what the public notices,” Schippers adds. The wrong cost savings must be avoided. Without trying to make a comparison with Hotel New York, that is an inspiring example of a hospitality formula. That iconic building was a catalyst for the Kop van Zuid, and the HAKA building can do the same for the Merwe- Vierhavens area. The transformation of this unpolished harbour district into a high-level mixed living and working environment has not yet begun, and will take at least 15 years. Dudok Group is also viewing the HAKA building within that longer-term perspective. “We bought it with the idea that it would gradually grow [with new users, ed.]. Without actively seeking publicity, several parties have already registered their interest, which means we can speed up the process.” Wendrich: “We are shifting from organic development to active development. We need one year for the design, permit application and contractor selection, and another year to implement the project. So we should be operational in two years’ time.” HAKA: even the name creates a buzz.