Montevideo Residential and Office Tower: A Residential Building with ‘Holland – America’ Feeling

Montevideo Residential and Office Tower is located in residential and office areas in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Constructed by Mecanoo, the building design followed the guidelines in which the building needs to avoid sharp contrast between office and apartment buildings.

That being the case, the firm presented Montevideo Residential and Office Towers with monotonous and repetitive façade that offer spacious and flexible floor plans both for working and living. Not only that, the firm also created the Holland-America feeling in the building as the site evokes, a place where cruise ships and ocean steamers made the crossing from Rotterdam to New York.

The Montevideo Residential and Office Tower

Creating ‘Holland-America feeling’ was the starting point of the project.

When it comes to the building itself, it is a composition of interlocking volumes consisted of the lower section of which cantilevers over the quayside, restaurant and offices with the vibrant urban atmosphere, and the tower section referred to 1930s skyscraper in New York, Chicago, and Boston.

The structure is hybrid and features an American-style steel structure for the lower two floors, a ninety-meter-tall Dutch concrete structure in the middle section, and a steel-structure for the upper section.

Structure Diversity in Floor Heights and Plans

The structure provides scope for diversity in more than 50 floor plans and heights.

Every window, loggias, and balcony is arranged in rhythmic patterns, complementing the building section that echoes an ocean liner.

Meanwhile, the building consists of over 190 apartment spaces in varying sizes and price categories.

This office and residential building may remind you of the tradition of warehouses that once existed there with exotic names like Havana, Santos, New Orleans, and Baltimore.

The Letter ‘M’

Aside from representing the initial of the building’s name, the letter ‘M’ at the top of the building is an 8-meter-high weather vane referring to Rotterdam’s maritime tradition and the River Maas.

Hotel Lobby Atmosphere

Upon entering the Montevideo building, you will feel that hotel lobby atmosphere as if you were there as a traveler.

You also will be welcomed with a map of Uruguay’s coastline painted in silver on the Mecanoo blue wall. The map features places including Montevideo, Dolores, Treinta-y-Tres, and Punta del Este.

Via Mecanoo