Van Nelle Factory, Industrial landmark in Overschie, Netherlands
The Van Nelle Factory features glass curtain walls and concrete columns, with three connected production buildings rising in graduated heights from six to eight stories.
Construction of the Van Nelle Factory started in 1925 and finished in 1931, marking a shift in industrial architecture through its modernist design principles.
The building represents the Dutch contribution to modern architecture, incorporating natural light and open spaces to enhance working conditions for factory employees.
The factory now functions as an office complex and event venue, offering spaces from 50 to 5000 square meters for businesses and conferences.
The structure contains the first industrially prefabricated curtain wall system, utilizing steel and glass to maximize natural light penetration throughout the building.
Location: Rotterdam
Inception: 1931
Founders: Van Nelle
Architects: Brinkman & Van der Vlugt, Michiel Brinkman, Jo van den Broek, Mart Stam, Leendert van der Vlugt
Architectural style: Neues Bauen
Address: Van Nelleweg 1, Spaanse Polder, Rotterdam 3044 BC
Website: http://vannellefabriek.com/en-us
GPS coordinates: 51.92278,4.43361
Latest update: May 27, 2025 07:06
This collection gathers examples of architectural rehabilitation where former industrial sites have been transformed into new spaces for living, culture, and gatherings. These projects illustrate how contemporary architecture can give a second life to structures that marked European and North American industrial history, while maintaining their original identity. Included are the Oberhausen Gasometer, a 117-meter gas holder converted into exhibition space, the Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam, an old coffee and tobacco factory turned cultural venue, and the High Line in New York, a 1930s elevated railway converted into a 2.3-kilometer urban park. The Zeche Zollverein complex in Essen showcases Bauhaus-style industrial architecture from the 1930s, while Strijp-S in Eindhoven, a former Philips production site, now hosts creative and technological studios. These sites demonstrate the possibilities offered by repurposing industrial heritage into accessible public spaces.
Rotterdam combines modern architecture, museums, parks and historic locations. The Maritime Museum, Erasmus Bridge, Euromast and cubic houses mark the cityscape. The Market Hall, zoo and art museums form the cultural offerings.
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