De Markthal

12

De Markthal

Rotterdam (NL)

MVRDV Rotterdam - Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, Nathalie de Vries

Markthal: Dominee Jan Scharpstraat 298, 3011 GZ Rotterdam Netherlands

DASH

Design: MVRDV Rotterdam Achterklooster 7 3011 RA Rotterdam NL

Client: Provast, The Hague, NL

Area: 100.000 m²

Design completion: 2004-2014

Buget: 175 million

Number of dwellings: 228 apartments including 24 penthouses

Sources: ‘MVRDV Buildings’, nai010 publishers (2015), 392-407 ‘De Haage Passage’, Gemeente Den Haag (2011) ‘de Architect’, August 2013 publication, 42-46 ‘de Architect’, Oktober 2014 publication, 66-79 ‘Architecture today’, Oktober 2014 publication, 10-14 ‘Bauwelt’, December 2014 publication, 16-25

View on the time stairs with the fresco in the background

DASH

A noisy street on the outside, a ranting market place on the inside. In between, a residential layer containing 228 apartments, known as one of the best addresses in town.

Ever since the Markthal in Rotterdam opened its doors in 2014 it has been one of the city’s most popular tourist spots, combining completely different requirements; a market, a tourist attraction and a neighbourhood development project, meant to revitalize the neglected former city centre. It contains private retreats for residents, provides a sheltered piece of city and is a part of the new Rotterdam identity, however the division of public and private zoning in this building still has to prove its future viability.

The market hall’s location, near the metro station Rotterdam Blaak, is of great significance. Where once the river Rotte was dammed and a small settlement of fishermen became one of the most important trading cities, it is set to revitalize its ailing surroundings. The Markthal owes its shape to the combination of two building types, multi-storey estates and self-supporting halls, morphed into one big hybrid type. Two parallel apartment blocks, 120 meters long and 11 storeys high, containing two floors of commercial use and apartments from 80 up to 300 square meter penthouses, 40 meters of space in between them form the market. With increasing height both blocks slope towards each other, until they get connected in the top level and arch over the whole base area.

This results in the buildings iconic horse shoe like shape whose huge openings bring in the day light and open the market towards the surrounding streets. On the ground floor, market stalls are forming a network of paths in between them, some of them offer an upstairs seating or restaurant area.

In the centre a big opening, shaped like a funnel, connects the market hall with the underground levels that contain the parking lot and a supermarket. On each floor of the staircase, several ancient artefacts, found during the construction works, are on display, hence the name “time stairs”. The buildings inside and outside facade differ completely. While the outside facade, clad with grey stone panels, tries to hide the massive scale of the building, the inside one enhances it with an enormous artwork called “Hoorn des Overvloeds” by the Dutch artist Arno Coenen. It is projected over the whole length of the inner facade, depicting an fresco like scene. A great variety of oversized items, available at the market located underneath it, floating weightlessly around the surreal canvas. Avocados, flying next to raspberries, peas and wheat grains, massive flowers, nearly covering a third of its side, are displayed.

A bunch of enormous grapes and figs, located at the highest part of the ceiling, hover above everybody’s heads. Entering the, what MVRDV calls “The Sistine Chapel of food”, one might stop and freeze in awe of the atmospheric mix between railway station and cathedral, putting their heads back regarding the fresco until they notice the puncturing windows which are the only visible link between the market and the apartments.

Location of the Markthal in the Rotterdam city center

13

14

Areal view of the Markthal with the Meuse in the background

The building is separated in different zones with different time schedules, meaning that there is no direct access from the apartments to the market hall. Residents wanting to go shopping downstairs, either need to walk around the buildings outside and enter through the main entrances, or take the route through their private parking garage into the public one and then take the escalators. The architect’s wish was that the windows on inner facade could be opened, so that residents could lower a bucket with a wish list to the vendors.

But this wish was not realisable due to noise and smell regulations. This is a good indicator on how the building works.

Eventhough the different functions are gathered together in one shape, they act individually from each other. The problem of private and public zoning was solved by separation, so to combine public and private functions their interaction had to be reduced to almost non-existent.

1

DASH

2 1 Cross section 2 Ground floor 0

10

30

DASH Inside view on Westnieuwland entrance and Boterslot

View on the Westnieuwland entrance

Organization of public and private spaces

15

16 Nolli map of the surroundings

DASH

Areal view of the surrounding architectural icons

‘Hoorn des Overvloeds‘

by Arno Coenen

View from Dominee Jan Scharpstraat

DASH 1

2

3 Visual connection between market hall and apartments

4

0

10

30

4 1 2 3 4

Top floor penthouses 3rd floor 10th floor 2nd floor

17

The True Artists - Markthal, Rotterdam

20

written by: João Baptista Lopes

“the only regret is that we have no window directly onto the market”

by Pascal Pichel, inhabitant of the Markthal

building and its’ exotic feel in-between the stands, but to stare and mesmerize the living experiences that are happening in the apartLike any other housing block, the Markthal

ments that everyday deal with this, probably

One of the most recent landmarks of the

is divided in typologies, each with its’ own

without even noticing it’s happening; it be-

city of Rotterdam, the Markthal, leaves

relation to the view of the market (or no

came a new normal for them. To a regular cit-

room to wonder how can a simple hous-

relation at all), making them all very differ-

izen, living in the Markthal could become an

ing building have such an impact in the

ent from each other. Despite the constant

uncomfortable experience. It goes against

way we look at living environment. Most

changing dwelling organization as we go up

the normal conceptions of what is a hous-

known for its’ unique curved shape and

the floors, in all typologies the kitchen and

ing block, putting in the same area the most

enormous artwork located in the inner wall

bathrooms are all organized in the innermost

private and the most public in our world. It

of the covered market, this composition is

side of the apartment, leaving much room for

goes against the normal conceptions of what

completed with an arch of dwellings that

the bedrooms and living room to be turned

is a housing block in our society. Apparently

covers a sea of stands, making the apart-

either to the view of the church or to the

we can easily assemble together two differ-

ments very versatile in terms of orientation,

never ending blue palette of the Maas river.

ent worlds that were forever spread apart (public and private) without compromising

but much compromised in terms of privacy.

At a first glance it seems that living at the

the housing environment of the residents. If

“The only regret is that we have no window

Markthal comes with the responsibility of

this idea of the people are the ones adapt-

directly onto the market” is what Pascal

choosing between living with the noisi-

ing to the architecture and not the other way

Pichel says about his house in the Markthal.

ness and colorful environment of the mar-

around is the new normal, then our house

Either has a marketing strategy to sell

ket, or with the calmness of the squares

just became an object imposing itself in our

apartments or just because of its’ looks,

and streets surrounding the building block,

lives. To this extend, shouldn’t we consider

the painting on the inside wall of the build-

with tourists admiring this building, as if

the habitants of the Markthal the true art-

ing and the market view became one of the

the habitants lived in a piece of art. Cam-

ists in the building? They are the ones with

most important things to have access to

era flashes and people looking up, staring

the bravery to give away their rights to pri-

in your house. Its’ vibrant atmosphere and

at the artwork on the walls and to the win-

vacy, just to live in what is now a building

constant change throughout the day are

dows that directly guide us to the interior

with its’ own character, independence and

what most residents treasure, without even

of the apartments mark the movements

fierceness, however with the most normal

noticing that those same facts are what

inside the market. Not only do people from

apartments (varying in an immense num-

makes them be in constant observation.

all over the world come to experience the

ber of typologies) to please any resident.