Celebrating 10 Years of Rotterdam Centraal

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Celebrating 10 Years of Rotterdam Centraal

Rotterdam, NL

Ten years ago, on March 13, 2014, Rotterdam Centraal reopened to the public. With an integrated, sculptural, and grand design, it has been providing a warm welcome to over 100,000 daily visitors since.

A decade after opening, the redesigned Rotterdam Centraal has proven to be both classic and timeless; an iconic design that welcomes residents home and invites visitors to explore Rotterdam.

Designed by Team CS, a cooperation between Benthem Crouwel Architects, Meyer en Van Schooten Architecten, and West 8, the new Rotterdam Centraal seamlessly integrates the station with the rest of the city and blends the functionality of an international high-speed station with the city’s vision for progressive urban development and renewal.

More information -> Rotterdam Centraal Station

About the Design:

By placing the entire station under one roof – the design for Rotterdam Centraal creates an open, light, and inviting space while addressing the challenge of connecting two very different parts of the city. On the side facing the city center, an iconic sloping roof points to the heart of the city- the inside of the roof is clad with wood to provide a warm interior. On the side facing into the neighbourhoods, a more humble approach is used to match the character of the 19th-century Proveniers district.

The open space in front of the station was reorganized to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists and create a safer, more peaceful entrance into the city. A large plaza provides a space for gathering, punctuated by a line of double-stemmed plane trees, merging into a 300-meter-long promenade leading into the heart of Rotterdam.

While much of the station was changed, important details were kept and incorporated into the new building. The famous sculptures, lovingly dubbed the ‘Speculaasjes,’ were preserved and moved to stand over the bicycle tunnel. Their shape is abstracted, and they are used as patterns in multiple locations throughout the station. Additionally, the original clock and font for the ‘Centraal Station’ sign were preserved and reused.

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