Fenix I double winner at the Rotterdam Architectuurprijs 2019. Both jury and the public found Fenix I to be the best building of Rotterdam.
The award show of the Rotterdam Architectuurprijs 2019 took place on Wednesday evening 18 December in the City hall of Rotterdam. During the festive ceremony, in front of 300 guests, team Fenix was awarded both prizes by Aldermen Kasmi and Kurvers.
From the 47 projects submitted for the award the jury nominated ten wonderful projects. Anyone who sympathises Rotterdam as an architecture city, could vote for ten selected projects for one month. Voting motivations showed that Fenix I offers the industrial heritage of Rotterdam a new future, while simultaneously boosting the development of Katendrecht. The jury awarded two honorable mentions to Penthouse West 399 by Powerhouse Company and Buitenplaats Brienenoord by Superuse Studios. The jury unanimously voted for Fenix I to be the winner.
Voter’s motivation:
“Amazing, how an abandoned and dreary part of the town has come to life, became easy accessible and playful. From a depreciated place to the place to be.. Unique project”
Jury:
The building shows the enthusiasm of all those involved – client, architect, contractor and users. It is a new icon for the city of Rotterdam and it proves that no bridge is too far for densifying the layered city”
The Rotterdam Architectuurprijs is an award for the team of client, architect and contractor. Our praises and gratitude go to Heijmans Vastgoed and Heijmans Woningbouw for the amazing collaboration and a result of which not only we, but all of Rotterdam is very proud of.
About the Rotterdam Architectuurprijs
The Rotterdam Architectuurprijs annually highlights the best new buildings in the city. The independent prize is an initiative of the municipality of Rotterdam, organized by AIR, Architecture Institute Rotterdam. Annually the best buildings are awarded the RAP jury award and the RAP audience award.
The jury of the Rotterdam Architectuurprijs 2019 consists of Ester Agricola (director of the department of Planning and Sustainability for the city of Amsterdam) as chair, Do Janne Vermeulen (architect/director at Team V Architecture), Niraj Sewraj (urban developer at BPD), Marianne van der Sanden (architect/partner at Braaksma&Roos Architecture) and Jan Bruil (Head of Dutch Real Estate Development and Construction ar Bouwinvest).
The Fenix has arisen: from monumental warehouse to loft apartments and cultural hotspot.
At a location full of history, the Fenix has arisen, and a place has been created full of life, talent, culture, creativity, entrepreneurship and architectural beauty. The former 100-year-old warehouse contains a mixed-use program of more than 6,000 m2 of quay houses, commercial office spaces based on the loft typology, a public parking garage, a boutique hotel, catering facilities, amongst which the Fenix Food Factory, and an extensive culture cluster; the combination of Codarts Rotterdam (study in Circus Arts), international dance company Conny Janssen Danst and the circus school for youth Circus Rotjeknor.
Through the existing monumental Fenix warehouse, built in 1922, an immense steel table structure of approximately one million kilos of steel has been placed. A new concrete building has been built above that with loft apartments, which are compiled and arranged according to the wishes of the buyers. This loft concept with a high degree of flexibility and buyers’ influences is on this scale a unique concept in Europe.
On Wednesday 20 November Fenix officially opened. The completion of the Fenix not only means a new and iconic Rotterdam icon, but also a beautiful milestone in the Katendrecht area development. From disadvantaged area to one of the most popular neighbourhoods in the world. According to the leading British magazine Time Out, Katendrecht is one of the coolest neighbourhoods of the world! Katendrecht is the only Dutch district ever to make that list. The redevelopment of Fenix not only contributed to this, but also gives a new impulse to the surrounding area and the city.
Photo’s: Marc Goodwin (Fenix), Fred Ernst (Award show)