Den Hartogh Basecamp, Rotterdam
On the banks of the River Maas, at the tip of the Sluisjesdijk, lies Den Hartogh’s new Basecamp, reborn from previously unremarkable warehouses along the water. Here, water, wind, vastness and an endless sky frame the skyline of Rotterdam on the opposite shore. Floating apartment blocks drift by, containers stacked like Lego bricks in an immeasurable landscape.
Yet, amid concrete, asphalt and basalt embankments, nature finds its way. In the folds and cracks of the harbour’s hard lines, it creates soft forms, gentle slopes, mudflats and small beaches. River dune plants, reeds, trees and flowers emerge — primeval forces softly settling into a quintessentially Rotterdam, grand and compelling port landscape. This contrast formed the foundation for the design of the inner garden and outdoor spaces, the parking area, entrances and quay of Den Hartogh’s Basecamp.
Rotterdam toughness meets the fresh softness of native river nature
The hard, industrial and dark world of basalt, asphalt and concrete meets the dormant primeval power of riverside nature, which we allowed to break through the black basalt, asphalt and concrete slabs like a fresh green eruption.
The inner garden is a sheltered, lush and unexpectedly green world that visually flows indoors through the surrounding glass façades of the restaurant and the sports and workspaces. The irregular pattern of gently sloping green islands set within black gravel and boulders creates larger and smaller informal spaces where employees can work, take breaks, meet and relax. The slightly raised terrace forms a natural extension of the restaurant space inside.
The quay is robust and tough, featuring a concrete walkway laid over a continuous basalt embankment. The parking area is a precisely designed surface where plants and trees emerge between parking bays from lowered infiltration zones. Concrete paths guide visitors towards the entrance and the quay.
Rotterdam toughness and the fresh softness of native river nature come together on this cape along the Maas — a place where the outdoors feels expansive and grand, while indoors it is intimate and welcoming. A place where employees work, unwind and meet, on the banks of the River Maas and in the enclosed garden that forms the heart of the building.
