MVRDV recently completed work on an unusual new building that takes the form of a stack of twisting boxes. Named Portlantis, the energy positive project hosts exhibition spaces and will be dismantled and recycled when its useful life comes to an end.
Originally revealed back in 2021 as the Harbour Experience Centre, Portlantis is located in the Port of Rotterdam and overlooks both the wider port area and the North Sea.
The building measures 3,533 sq m (38,000 sq ft) and consists of five stacked boxes, each of which contains an exhibition space. There's a large atrium at its center and a restaurant near the top. In the exhibition areas within, each level has a different theme, and they feature panoramic windows offering excellent views. On the subject of views, the building also features a rooftop viewing point. A bright red staircase on the exterior of the building provides access to each level (though there almost certainly will be an elevator installed too).
"Portlantis is a beacon, it's eye-catching, but it's also a kind of watchtower," says MVRDV founding partner Winy Maas. "When you live in Rotterdam, the port sits on the horizon – it's 'over there' and many people don’t really know what goes on there. Portlantis gives people a way to investigate, to see how things are changing in the port, how that relates to the city, and how it affects the life they live in the city. It does this extremely efficiently – like a machine for storytelling."
As mentioned, the end of the building's useful life has already been taken into consideration. At the end of its lifespan, its facade panels will be returned to the manufacturer as part of an agreement. Recyclable materials have been used where possible and the foundation is designed to leave no permanent trace.
Additionally, thanks to an on-site wind turbine, and its superb insulation and overall focus on energy efficient design, it generates 30% more energy than it actually requires. Presumably this is averaged over a year, and there is a grid-based power supply too for when wind-power alone is not sufficient.
MVRDV is never content to produce boring run-of-the-mill buildings and the Portlantis joins other quirky projects by the high-profile Dutch firm, including the Valley and the Pyramid of Tirana.
Source: MVRDV
