Powerhouse Company Designs World’s Largest Floating Off-Grid, Carbon Neutral, Reusable Office | Floating Office Rotterdam | Surfaces Reporter

Powerhouse Company Designs

Touted to be the world’s largest floating office, Powerhouse Company recently completed Floating Office in Rotterdam (FOR), Netherland. The office is reportedly designed keeping in mind the rise in climate change, where it is said to meet all its electricity needs from a solar array. Besides, the office can also be recycled once it reaches the end of its shelf life.

Inaugurated by King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands alongside former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva, FOR serves as headquarters for the Global Centre on Adaptation, which Ki-moon chairs, and also hosts the ABN Amro bank, RED Company, designer Powerhouse Company itself. Located on the Rijnhaven harbour of Rotterdam, the office is part of a larger redevelopment effort in the area including Mecanoo’s Maritime Centre Rotterdam.

Top: FOR  is designed keeping in mind the rise in climate change; Above: The three-storey office comprises a large terrace with upper floors featuring overhanging balconies to shade the interior, a restaurant and a swimming pool, and is accessed via a boardwalk.

Reportedly, spread across 38,800 sqft, the three-storey office comprises a large terrace with upper floors featuring overhanging balconies to shade the interior, a restaurant and a swimming pool, and is accessed via a boardwalk.

Built entirely out of timber to minimize its carbon footprint, FOR rests on top of 15 custom-made concrete pontoons which are anchored together to create a solid floating base. With its own solar energy source and water-based heat-exchange system, it’s completely self-sufficient. Off-grid and carbon neutral, the office will reportedly float than flood if water levels rise due to climate change.

Off-grid and carbon neutral, FOR will float than flood if water levels rise due to climate change.

Project details

Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands

Area: 4,500 m²

Client: RED Company

Partners in charge: Nanne de Ru, Stijn Kemper

Structural engineer: Bartels & Vedder

MEP consultant: DWA

Project management: DVP

Contractor: FOR Building VOF

Wood structure engineer: Solid timber

Wood structure: Derix Gelamineerde, Houtconstructies

Building installations: Roodenburg Groep

Glass: iFS Building Systems

Steel: W Ten Ham Constructie

Image courtesy: Powerhouse Company, Plomp, Marcel Ijzerman and Sebastien Van Damme

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