FIELD RESEARCH
When I was on the roof for the first time, a number of things stood out. The first is that the roof is quite low, you look at the taller buildings next to it. That brings me right to the second thing that stood out. The colors of the buildings next to it. The building itself is quite dull in color, but from the roof you can see a beautiful color palette, where mint green takes over. As can be seen in the building of the world trade center, the church tower, the roof of the abm abro and many other buildings.
Maybe it is due to the corona time, but it seems to be almost unused by humans. It is striking that many birds use the roof.
Beside that, the roof has a small difference in height. fairly basic materials such as stone, metal and concrete are used, which gives the roof an industrial look. no use is made of landscaping.
KOOPMAN ROOFTOP
First impression (observation)
THE LOCATION
01 Observing the environment
WALKING ROUTES
The Koopman building is right at the northwestern end of the Koopgoot. So it lies in the middle of the centre of Rotterdam. Around the building are busy places, such as the Laurenskerk, the Markthal, the Koopgoot and the rest of the shopping area. This creates busy walking routes along the Koopman building.
I have visited the location twice to observe the area. The lockdown makes the city a lot quieter. The Koopman building is located in the middle of the shopping area and unfortunately this is closed at the moment. The people who are currently walking here are not there for relaxation but purely to get from A to B.
Normally it is busy in the city. Tourists visit famous locations, people are shopping, there are events in the city, students go out and so on.
The busy walking routes mainly run along the front and the right side of the building (seen from the entrance). The roof can’t be reached from this side, you have to be on the left side of the building. The entrance to the roof is only intended for people who have parked their car in the parking garage. Therefore the roof is only used by people who park their car.
02 Current use
PARKING AND THE ROOF
The roof itself is very empty. the growth of weeds and moss makes it look old and abandoned. There are no cars on the roof and the round space of Hudson Bay is also distressed.
About 70 percent of the garage is currently in use. It is noticeable that the top two floors of the garage are empty, these are the 6th and 7th floors. The 5th, 4th and 3rd floors are full of work vans. The 2nd is full of both cars and work vans and the 1st only with cars. Renovations are underway next to the Koopman building. It seems that mainly the workers who are renovating there use the garage at the moment.
THE BUILDING
The shop is currently occupied by: The Sting Companies. The De Koopman fashion department store will be housed in the building. De Koopman is a new formula from The Sting Companies and sells clothing of the latest fashion for a low price. De Koopman leases a total area of approximately ten thousand square meters in Rotterdam, divided over the ground floor, basement and first floor for a period of two years. It is not yet certain whether the property will still be rented by Koopman after these two years.
03 The history
HISTORY OF THE BUILDING
Bombings in the Second World War have brought the entire city center of Rotterdam to a standstill. In the post-war scarcity, many shops are hesitant about rebuilding the city. The emptiness that remained after the war is not exactly inviting for shopkeepers. In 1950, Vroom & Dreesman took an important step by being the first to build a large new department store on Hoogstraat. Other stores will also follow. This gives the city a new look and shape.
The new V&D store radiates modernity. The management of V&D and Architects Evert and Herman Kraaijvanger took their inspiration from the US. Here they are introduced to the latest shopping insights. The Kraaijvanger brothers also come up with improvements themselves. Their open ceilings with a concealing framework are internationally known and copied as 'the Rotterdam Ceiling'. By making the ventilation, pipes and power points easily accessible, the store layout is extremely flexible.
luchtfoto Rotterdam, jaartal rond 1946, via serc foto
When it opened in 1950, the building is still quite modest. The foundation has been calculated for future expansions, after which the format can be increased. The first major renovation takes place in 1959. The building will have an extra floor and an escalator to the basement. The white bricks disappear behind a facade curtain of green and gray glass. Various plans and actual renovations and adjustments will follow.
During the construction of the shopping gutter in the 1990s, the building again undergoes a major change. The basement will be connected to the new shopping area, the facade will be covered with gray stone slabs, a large parking garage will be added and the 'UFO' will be placed on the roof. After the bankruptcy of V&D at the end of 2015, Hudson's Bay took over the building and gave it a makeover again. The appearance of the building can no longer be compared with the V&D from 1950. But underneath it is still the very first retail building to open after the war in the center of Rotterdam.
Vroom & Dreesman, 1951 Bron: Fototechnische Dienst Rotterdam, Stadsarchief Rotterdam
Beursplein jaren ‘60 Bron: H.L. Koote, Stadsarchief Rotterdam
De bakstenen van de oorspronkelijke V&D zijn zichtbaar bij de verbouwing in 2017.
04 To do by night
NIGHT LIFE
The city has a number of places that are open at night. These are mainly entertainment venues, evening shops and fast food restaurants. These are mostly only open at night on weekends. A place to go just like that, without going out, are often parks or squares, these don't feel like a safe place at night.
GOING OUT
FAST FOOD
NIGHT SHOPS
05 The sun
SUMMER SUN
WINTER SUN
HOW DOES THE SUN TURN?
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. The sun is much lower in winter than in summer.