Delftse Poort
CBRE Design Ramon Beijen + CBRE Global Investors Joanne Rozenburg

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Over the centuries, Rotterdam has built an impressive reputation thanks to its international port and its bold architecture. 'The dominant culture in Rotterdam is to "put up or shut up," which is a challenge we as owners have taken to heart,' says Vincent van den Putten, asset manager at CBRE Global Investors. 'Together with Ramon Beijen, interior designer and creative director of CBRE, and suppliers like Mosa, we have demonstrated that you can transform an interior while still respecting the existing architecture. All it takes is a little courage, a good vision, and a gung-ho attitude!'

The warmth of ceramics

'We drew up plans for the future of the Delftse Poort in 2012,' says Van den Putten. 'At the time, the insurance company Nationale-Nederlanden was the only tenant in what was practically a sealed fortress. But the world has changed dramatically since then. The way people experience cities as a place to live and work is very different compared to twenty-five years ago. We need to adapt to our changing environment, keep up with developments, and dare to take the lead. It was important to give the building back to the city, partly as an ode to Bonnema's vision. Everyone knows this building, but no one's been inside. That was our biggest challenge.' Beijen nods in agreement, adding: 'The building was industrial, dark, and uninviting. We wanted to make it more transparent and accessible by softening the edges a little, adding an open entrance and huge windows that let in natural light, and above all highlighting the human nature of the building. It needed to become a square or park in the middle of the city; an urban retreat, if you will; an environment with organic shapes and warm materials like ceramic, wood, fabric, and plants. This was how we planned to add contrast while creating the necessary symbiosis.'

Elegant tiles as eye-catchers

'Buildings are no longer occupied by a single tenant; those days are over,' says Van den Putten. 'The same is true of the Delftse Poort. We transformed this single-tenant building into a multi-tenant building where you can work, meet, and relax; a lively and dynamic building full of movement. We involved all parties in the development process, from the owners KanAM and the CBRE Dutch Office Fund to the designers, the tenant Nationale-Nederlanden, our contractor BAM, our real estate team, and suppliers like Mosa.' Beijen agrees. 'Everyone in the chain was involved in the decision-making process. We created mock-ups based on our backgrounds, visions, and requirements and then compared them to determine whether our ideas were feasible,' he says.

'Ramon invited us to us to see the different floors and tiles,' explains Van den Putten. 'We even installed sixty square metres of flooring to get an idea of what it would look like,' Beijen adds. 'It's hard to get a sense of what a floor that size will look like based on mood boards alone! We found the perfect tile at the Salone del Mobile furniture fair. We'd worked with Mosa before, but the Core Collection Solids series was new to us. So we called them immediately to ask about it and then visited Mosa to discuss colours, hues, and tile sizes. We initially wanted a 90x90 centimeter tile, but after discussing it and testing it at length, we finally settled on a 60x60 centimeter tile instead. What makes the Core Collection Solids series so unique is its randomness – the floor looks like an organic whole instead of individual patterned tiles,' says Beijen. 'A plain tile doesn't work on a surface area of 3,000 square metres,' explains Van den Putten. 'It lacks charisma. We wanted a tile with a subtle pattern that could bring a floor that size to life. A huge floor really defines the look of a building, which means it's just as important to support a good concept with good design.' Beijen agrees and adds that ceramic tiles also reflect light very nicely. 'They warm up the space and give it a very different look compared to granite or concrete. The warmth of Core Collection Solids matched our design brief perfectly. We wanted a durable floor with a matt finish that could withstand intensive use. The ground floor is now open and houses a restaurant, a wine bar, an espresso bar, shops, a gym, and flexible offices and meeting rooms.'

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