Police Station Rijstuin, Rotterdam

The Rijstuin 176 is located on the ground floor of the Blaaktoren, popularly called "the pencil". This tower, like the adjacent cube houses, was designed by architect Piet Blom. The floor only has windows on one side, a limited clear height, a lower narrow entrance and limited options for installations. When Rotterdam-Rijnmond police were looking for accommodation for two neighborhood teams, the floor was initially rejected. However, the location on the market and in the immediate vicinity of Blaak station was so favorable for the police that our office was asked in 2003 to make a plan anyway.

The limitations of the building were seen as challenges, and we proceeded pragmatically. Due to the correct arrangement of the various rooms and the use of glass system doors, daylight is optimally used. The contrast between a lowered ceiling in traffic areas and higher ceilings with installation pipes in sight ensures that the workspaces are optically raised. The choice of color, material and lighting also gives the rooms a pleasant atmosphere without daylight. The applied colors are in keeping with the colors of Piet Blom's exterior. At the opening, the police called this project an optimum between the intended quality and the associated construction costs.

Foto’s: fotografie Sonnega

Client: Police, Rotterdam Unit, Facilities Management

Design: 2003

Construction: 2004

Contractor: van de Tempel, Schiedam