WTC Rotterdam: from stock exchange building to monument of the future 

Brass pivot doors are an important focal point in the Main Hall

In the bustling city center of Rotterdam, the finishing touches are being made to the revitalization and sustainability of the World Trade Center (WTC) Rotterdam. Meanwhile, part of the existing offices in the former and monumental 1940 Beursgebouw have been converted into a 168-room hotel. In addition, the offices and the conference and events area have been revitalized and the public area has been greatly improved.

BiermanHenket created the master plan for the renovation and preservation of the 76,000-square-meter monumental WTC complex. "The revitalization of the WTC Rotterdam is a challenge that requires patience and care," says architect and project manager Armand Bos. "We have been working on this project since the revitalization began and the result is that we are both preserving the monumental character of the building and making it future-proof. Ultimately, that's what projects like this are all about: preserving the past while investing in the future." A great example in this context is the monumental entrance, which has been given an open look. And the conference and event area has also been significantly modernized.

High pivot doors

The conference and event area, operated by Postillon Hotels, is located around an impressive Main Hall. In recent years, all the halls have been revitalized. The Rotterdam Hall was even completely renovated to better fit into the restored Main Hall. In accordance with BiermanHenket's redesign, the Main Hall has regained its original openness, without losing the functionality of the convention hall. The hall can accommodate one thousand people, but can also be divided into two rooms. The walls are made of recycled glass with brass details, with sixteen beautiful high pivot doors providing connection to the hall. The lit volume of the auditorium is an important eye-catcher in the Main Hall.

Tarnished finish

Gielissen Interiors & Exhibitions is involved as a partner in the redesign of the Main Hall. "Commissioned by consultant Cushman & Wakefield and based on the design of BiermanHenket, we fitted the concrete core of the tower - which used to have mirrors against it - with a completely new enclosure using aluminum profiles with upholstered panels," says Pierre Hesselberth, senior project manager at Gielissen Interiors & Exhibitions. "At the bottom of the core, we also mounted Corian panels. A big job, because the oval core is no less than 25 meters wide and 12 meters high." The escalator is also fully clad in Corian, he says, with LED lighting and a banner installed at the bottom to provide even lighting. "We also installed new frames towards the elevator cores. The elevator cores themselves are finished with panels in a lived-in brass finish, which is also reflected in the pivot doors. This makes it look like the pivot doors were always present in the WTC."

Smooth, controlled door movement

The imposing steel pivot doors were developed in-house by Gielissen Interiors & Exhibitions' engineering office, Hesselberth says. "The pivot doors provide access to the Rotterdam Hall and are divided into two series of eight, Hesselberth says.

"Each pivot door is about seven meters high and one meter wide and weighs about 380 kilograms. To guarantee a smooth, controlled door movement of the large and heavy pivot doors, we contacted FritsJurgens. This is because they are one of the few suppliers in the market that can supply hinges for pivot doors up to 500 kilos. Moreover, the company's communication and service are excellent. Meanwhile, the pivot doors have been in use for 1.5 years and we have only had to return once to readjust a door."

Durable and reliable

FritsJurgens' System M+ hinges are distinguished by hydraulic opening damping and adjustable closing damping (soft close), says FritsJurgens project manager Jeroen Iemhoff. "This ensures an elegant door movement and significantly reduces the risk of fingers getting caught in the door. In addition, the adjacent walls are protected from impact damage, regardless of how much force the door is opened with. The double-action door allows for a 180-degree rotation, greatly increasing versatility. In addition, the System M+ hinge is maintenance-free and tested up to 1 million cycles, ensuring long-term durability and reliability."

Minimalist design

Also unique is the minimalist design. "For mounting, only a 40 x 80 mm floor and ceiling plate need to be attached," Iemhoff explains. "Whereas the ceiling plate is fastened with regular screws, for the floor plate two 8-mm holes are sufficient. This also makes the system excellent for installation in combination with underfloor heating." For WTC Rotterdam, the hinges are set so that the pivot doors only open to one side. "A 90-degree hold position also ensures a dead straight opening, giving the imposing doors even more élan," says Iemhoff. "What is also unique is that all doors close at the same speed." Hesselberth: "To prevent the 380-kilo doors from sinking through the monumental floor, we opened the monumental marble floor and installed a sketch plate. The floor was then repointed with old tiles we found in the basement of the WTC Rotterdam. As a result, old and new come together beautifully."