Het Slaakhuis, Office building and national monument on Slaak Street, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Het Slaakhuis is a six-story office building with top-hung windows, randomly placed balconies, and decorative brickwork on its side facades. The ground floor contains a reception area, public counter, and commercial spaces behind a glass facade with a parasol-shaped canopy entrance.
Built between 1951 and 1954, this structure replaced a 1907 building damaged during 1940. It served as headquarters for Het Vrije Volk newspaper, marking the city's post-war reconstruction.
The name comes from the street where it stands, connecting the building to its immediate surroundings. A bronze sculpture by Wessel Couzijn depicting a courier in motion marks the connection between labor movements and left-wing publishing.
The building has a ground-level entrance portal that is easy to find and access, with clear signage for visitors. The glass frontage and distinctive entry area make it simple to orient yourself, even on a first visit.
The building shifted through several different uses: from press headquarters to a popular snooker center hosting international players. It later became a community squat, showing how its role changed over time.
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