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Groothandelsgebouw

The Groothandelsgebouw in Rotterdam was designed by Hugh Maaskant and Willem van Tijen and completed in 1953. Conceived shortly after the Second World War, it was intended to support the economic reconstruction of Rotterdam by bringing businesses together in one large complex.

Inspired partly by Maaskant’s study trip to the United States, the building introduced an unprecedented scale of architecture to the Netherlands. With approximately 128,000 square metres of floor area, it combined offices, shops, warehouses, showrooms, restaurants and logistics facilities.

One of its most innovative features was the integration of transportation into the building itself. A road runs through the complex, allowing goods and vehicles to reach different parts of the building. Wide internal corridors were designed to accommodate forklifts, reflecting the rapidly changing logistics of the modern economy.

The architecture expresses this functional complexity through a powerful structural grid, repetitive windows and large horizontal volumes. At the same time, the enormous scale gives the building a monumental presence beside Rotterdam Central Station.

The Groothandelsgebouw became one of the defining symbols of Rotterdam’s post-war reconstruction and Maaskant’s belief in progress, technology and economic growth.

Today the complex remains a vibrant mixed-use building containing offices, hospitality, retail and event spaces.