If it's about floating offices , the new project of the architecture studio, Powerhouse Company , and the company RED, fits in perfectly with the wide range of structures that have been erected in the port area of Rotterdam.
tied up in Rijnhaven —a historic industrial port on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas river—, the Rotterdam Floating Office (FOR ) hosts the headquarters of the Global Adaptation Center (GCA) , a new international organization that acts as a solutions broker to accelerate, innovate and scale adaptability measures that will help combat the consequences of global warming.
The three-story structure, donated to the Global Adaptation Center by city of rotterdam , constitutes, at least for now, the largest floating office building of the world.
Floating offices built by Powerhouse Company.
"Our new world center showcases the best of pioneering design weather resistant offices , and I hope it inspires others to future-proof their infrastructures. Taking the right steps before a disaster strikes not only makes economic sense, it can also help us adapt to the worst impacts of the climate change ", says Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Adaptation Center.
With its own solar power source and water heat exchange system, the building results in a entirely self-sufficient building —without connection to the electricity grid and no carbon emissions —, strategically conceived to showcase urban planning solutions that are adapt to sea level rise.
the water of Rijnhaven is used to cool the building, the **solar panels –**which extend over 900 meters on the south slope of the roof– serve as a source of building energy and the presence of a sloping roof for the upper floor, as well as for the protruding balconies of the lower levels, ensure shade and regulate the insolation of the interior.
It should be noted that the green roof on the north side offers a series of benefits such as energy efficiency , storm water management and noise reduction.
The floating office houses the headquarters of the Global Adaptation Center.
For its part, the colossal floating base of the building , 90x24 meters, was prefabricated in three different places in the Netherlands . Once assembled, the base was towed from the city of Zaandam, near amsterdam , until its permanent mooring in the Rijnhaven , more than 80 kilometers away, on a two-day trip through the Dutch waterways.
Constructed entirely of wood from German forests near the site to minimize your carbon footprint , the materials used in its construction are characterized by being reusable and recyclable . And, thanks to the choice to set aside adhesives, the structure is held together by nuts and bolts, which means it's removable and can be re-erected elsewhere in the city.
Generating 110 megawatt-hours of electricity per year (equivalent to supplying electricity to 54 homes), and using wood instead of concrete, among the vast choices that advocate responsible construction and a efficient consumption , has earned them BREEAM certification for Outstanding Sustainability , the highest level in the world.
Rotterdam Floating Office in Rijnhaven.
In addition to Powerhouse Company and the Global Adaptation Center , on the platform —which is accessed via a promenade— the financial entity ABN Amro, a swimming pool and “Putaine”, an a la carte restaurant that has recently opened its doors on the spot.
According to the architecture firm, "if the sea level rises due to climate change, the office will be able to float and continue to perform its function” , thus asserting yet another testimony to the ecological sensitivity and propensity for innovation representative of the Dutch city.