Fenix I Rotterdam
Fenix I Rotterdam is a colossal glass, steel and concrete building in the docklands of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Offering almost 45,000 square metres of mixed-use space, this sizable structure combines a century-old warehouse and a new-build on top for residents. Reynaers Aluminium solutions, especially its curtain wall and window systems, contribute greatly to the building’s visual appeal and ingenious design.
Impressive for its super scale and enormous glass façades, the Fenix I Rotterdam project has experienced an equally stunning transformation. A decade or so ago, most people would have sidestepped this rundown warehouse. Today, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, this eye-catching waterside redevelopment symbolises the rejuvenation of Rotterdam’s Katendrecht district.
“Fenix Docks” is the new name for the transformed port warehouse, now home to loft-type offices, as well as hotel, catering, and cultural establishments. It is a bustling social hub, by day and by night. “Fenix Lofts” sits above the warehouse, offering more than 200 high-quality apartments and penthouses. Big and bold, the Lofts comprise a stack of four to nine storeys, clustered around a courtyard garden.
The Fenix Lofts’ industrial look reminds of the traditional port architecture, yet updated to 21st-century needs.
Contemporary systems in historic architecture
Fenix I Rotterdam visibly mixes old and new materials, including new steel columns alongside the old concrete ones. In the historic warehouse front, the original openings are kept and feature contemporary Reynaers Aluminium SlimLine 38 windows. Sleek and refined, these highly insulated windows are the perfect match for this massive and hard-to-heat building.
At first glance, the contemporary Lofts appear to float above the old brick building. However, look closely and you will find they are supported by an immense steel table structure. At 1.5 million kilograms, this massive sturdy system bridges Fenix I’s old and new sections below and above. Robert Winkel, architect and CEO at Mei Architects & Planners, chose aluminium solutions to compensate for the weighty steel structure: “We opted for aluminium exterior joinery to lighten the load. Plus the tough aluminium has a constructional quality.”
This “constructional quality” is the easy integration and sleek appearance of our ConceptWall 50 system. The glass curtain wall solution offered the designers tremendous freedom and maximum transparency to work with, resulting in an airy yet highly insulated building façade.
Reynaers Aluminium solution enabled us to widen the top of these specially designed U profiles, so we could deliver “daydream” brackets.
Design where dreams are made of
Residents of all the lofts enjoy bright and airy interiors, thanks to glass façades with lightweight aluminium opening vents. For instance, ConceptPatio 130-Lift & Slide solutions connect each loft to the balcony, by means of a single hand movement. Above the minimalist sliding systems, the architects have introduced sturdy steel U-profiles in the balconies’ glass partitions. The result is a neat geometrical façade.
"By making the top of these specially designed U-profiles wider, we have delivered daydream brackets,” explains Winkel. “We call them daydreams, because people love to stand here, making the most of their spacious and deep balconies.” Spend a night at Fenix I Rotterdam and you too will experience that wonderful sense of being outdoors in trendy new surroundings, with dreamy panoramas of the River Maas all before you.
