ARCHITECTUURGIDS.NL / ARCHITECTUREGUIDE.NL

OFFICE BUILDING WHITE HOUSE

W. MOLENBROEK, 1897-1898, Wijnhaven 3/Geldersekade, Rotterdam

ARCHITECT(URAL OFFICE):
Willem Molenbroek

ARTIST:
Simon Miedema

BUILDING TYPE:
Office buildings

Eleven storeys and 45 metres high, this office block was for a long time Europe's tallest office building. As this first Dutch 'skyscraper' has no skeleton but is built up of loadbearing walls (0.40-1.40 metres thick) criss-crossed by four less-heavy wall partitions for stability, first professional press reports were negative. Its facade, too, of glazed brick with mosaics and sculpture was dismissed as kitsch. Yet this building has become very popular in Rotterdam, partly due to the public viewing platform on the roof.