gs gaffelstraat – private house

client: VVE Gaffelstraat + Woonstad Rotterdam
location: Gaffelstraat, Rotterdam, NL
size: 9 housing units, home-offices, art gallery, restaurant
status: 2011-2016

MIND THE GAP

The mixed-use housing project in the centre of Rotterdam was initiated for private and corporate dwellings and working spaces to revitalise the derelict urban area of the Oude Westen. In direct proximity to the trendy area of Nieuwe Binnenweg, this development bridges the architectural gap between the traditional working-class housing estates of the 19th century and the urban densification projects of the 70ies, both having their own distinct architecture. This co-creation of private and corporate investment comprises nine urban residencies including home-working offices, an art gallery and a restaurant. Every dwelling is customized to the specific needs and wishes of the residents, including individual floor plans, façades, roof terraces, garden access and working-spaces. And yet, all townhouses follow the same architectural language, bridging the ambiguity of the historical context of the neighbourhood. Guided by the visionary idea of urban living the project continues to write the architectural history of urban housing in Rotterdam.