At the corner of the Hoogstraat and the Grotekerksplein, in the heart of Rotterdam’s city center, stands a striking building that had originally been used for the Galeries Modernes department store since the ’50s. The building is now undergoing a transformation into the designer hotel Motel One and an underlying shopping area. Galeries Modernes is a typical example of reconstruction architecture. The new design refers to that period and respects the original striking design.

An eye for the future and the past
“We are proud to redevelop this building that is so iconic for Rotterdam”, says Maarten de Gruyter, Director of Boelens de Gruyter. “Our starting point is always: how can we give an existing building a new purpose. Where the easiest option is often chosen — demolition — we instead looked together with our client at how we can give a dated building a new future. We have respect for the history and the environment, but we also have a clear vision of the future new intended use.”

Designer hotel and shops
The Motel One entrance is located on the Grotekerkplein, next to the imposing gothic Laurenskerk. The retail units will soon be accessible from the Hoogstraat. In the basement, the hotel’s facility floors and a “gym” are implemented. The first four floors will house a total of 180 hotel rooms and a fifth floor will be added to the building. A sunken roof pavilion with skylounge offers an all-round view of Rotterdam city center.

Drees & Sommer is responsible for monitoring compliance with the agreements made by the stakeholders. The existing building was completely stripped down to the original concrete supporting structure. On the Hoogstraat side, the building will be extended by approximately 2,000 m². There will be an atrium in the building; for this purpose, large openings will be made in the existing floors. Completion will take place in two phases: the ground floor will be completed in the first quarter of 2022, while the hotel should be finished by the end of 2022.