Stilwerk is a German enterprise operating in quality design. At its locations in Hamburg and Düsseldorf customers will find 800 premium brands. Rotterdam will be home to a new design destination from 2023.
The historic Santos building – a listed brick building on the Katendrecht peninsula – offers the perfect conditions for this. The former coffee warehouse from 1901 retains its attractive exterior. The premises will get a renovation and gets a modern daylight atrium and a floating roof sculpture that houses two additional floors. The architects behind this spectacular project are
Renner Hainke Wirth Zirn Architeken and WDJARCHITECTEN from Rotterdam. Construction has now started.
The ground floor gets three entrances creating the inviting style of an open market hall. Here, visitors can expect gastronomic delicacies, various offerings ranging from accessories to independent design and frequently changing events. Like workshops, conferences, trade fairs and press functions in the multipurpose commercial space.
Premium international brands
The open central staircase – with raised seating on the ground floor – gives guests access to floors one to five. Premium international brands, innovative up-and-coming designers, service providers and technology suppliers present their products in the loft-like spaces. The range of brands is complemented by curated shows on living, working, cooking, sleeping and the outdoors, in which
individual products from the suppliers are presented in their ideal themed environment.
The visitor follows a natural route through the centre and enjoys a holistic and inspiring design experience on every level. There are plans for a spacious workspace for creatives and freelancers with an integrated dining area, bar and a rooftop terrace with spectacular views on the sixth and seventh floors, as well as 16 short-stay apartments with their own balconies.
Stilwerk furnishes the workspace and apartments with products from partners. This way, retail and hospitality are connected perfectly – like it is already the case with the stilwerk Hotels – and interior design becomes a holistic experience for customers.
stilwerk goes Rotterdam
Rotterdam is not only the largest seaport in Europe, it is also a dynamic and creative metropolis that is increasingly repositioning itself as the cultural capital of the Netherlands. The port industry has withdrawn from the cityscape in recent years. These areas develop into modern districts, settled by young service companies and creatives.
When it came to choosing the latest stilwerk location, the city of Rotterdam was quite impressive as an experimental and design-oriented hotspot. The area around the Rijnhaven and the up-and-coming Katendrecht neighbourhood is developing into an extension of Rotterdam’s city centre on the south bank. A spacious park, a beach and the river against the backdrop
of the Rotterdam skyline.
High-rise buildings will border the new city park, which will occupy a large section of the current harbour basin. It furthermore offers historic quays, industrial monuments and beautiful views. The Rijnhaven is already easily accessible by public transport and bicycle and offers a wide range of opportunities for work, recreation and shopping. Various forms of accommodation are also available.
