History

The apartment building was constructed between 1928 and 1934 on the Oude Schiekade as part of the Ungerplein complex. Upon completion, it was likely the tallest residential tower in Europe, standing at 43 meters. It was located alongside the Rotterdam Schie, a canal between Overschie and Rotterdam that was built between 1343 and 1348 along existing waterways. To finance the construction of the tower by contractors Van Vliet and Van Dulst, the First Rotterdam Flat Construction Company (1e Rotterdamse Flatbouwmaatschappij NV) was established.

The building was designed by Jo van den Broek in collaboration with Henrich Leppla, following the principles of Nieuwe Bouwen (Dutch Functionalism). Key features of this style include functionality and a lack of ornamentation, with a focus on pure geometric forms. Transparency, space, light, and air were achieved through the use of modern materials and construction methods. The building was erected with a concrete skeleton, allowing the facade to be fully utilized for the building's design.

Originally, the building was developed as a luxury residential complex. Each floor contained two large apartments with five to six rooms, as well as a room for a maid. The top floor housed a penthouse. Notable features of the apartments included sliding walls, built-in closets, and transom windows.

As early as 1936, the building was modified in several ways. On the ground floor, three small apartment units and a caretaker's residence were added. The rear facade was extended outward, allowing for better natural light in the residence. Later, small shops were added on the ground floor.

After the war, the Schie is filled with war rubble to create the main access road from the center in a northern direction. A Esso gas station will be built on the square and a tram track will be laid over the Schiekade.

Since the sixties, the apartment building has been used as an office. The appearance of the flat also changed significantly. The steel window frames were replaced with plastic frames with mirrored glass.

In 1986, a renovation of the facades took place. New window frames were installed, which were given an anthracite color. The renovation was carried out by the architectural community of Van den Broek and Bakema.

In 1998, the building received a new entrance, designed by OE! Design. Internally, various changes took place as well. On the ground floor, the facade to the left of the entrance was moved forward to create more retail space. This resulted in the loss of the effect of a transparent base with a 'floating' apartment above it.

The young national monument has deteriorated significantly in the years that followed. The low point was the falling of window frames from the ninth floor in 2021. By the end of 2021, Leyten had purchased the largely vacant national monument with the aim of fully restoring the building and bringing back the residential function. Over the past years, intensive collaboration has taken place with the municipality and Hylkema Heritage to shape the renovation plan. Hylkema Heritage aims to restore the old style of the building with the recognizable window frames: 'Much of the beauty has been lost. By restoring the original function and historical character, we bring back a piece of history to Rotterdam and the tower block looks forward to a beautiful future as a residential location.'

In the meantime, the environmental permit has been granted and the renovation started in March.

By mid-2024, the 49 rental apartments will be ready for occupancy. From October, rental for short-stay accommodation will be a reality. Ninety years after the first delivery, this Rotterdam icon adorns the Rotterdam skyline in its original appearance, no longer as the tallest residential tower but as the oldest.