DP6 and De Unie Design the Rotterdam Collection Center

The City of Rotterdam has selected the design team consisting of DP6 architectuurstudio and De Unie Architecten for the new Rotterdam Collection Center (CCR) to be built in the Zevenkamp neighborhood. The collections of various Rotterdam museums and the Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen will be stored and studied in this new collection center.

Three design teams submitted proposals for the new storage facility. The evaluation committee assessed the quality of the spaces for the collections, opportunities for collaboration, sustainability, security, and how the building fits into the neighborhood. DP6 and De Unie won the competition with a design that, according to the committee, offered the best balance among these design principles. A key feature of the design is the use of a sustainable storage concept from Denmark that harnesses the temperature of the ground. This reduces the need for technical systems to create a stable indoor climate for optimal preservation of the collections. The CCR also aims to achieve a BREEAM-NL “Outstanding” sustainability rating. Measures for water harvesting, green spaces, and nature conservation will also be implemented.

The new collection center will house the more than 1 million items from the collections of Museum Rotterdam, the Maritiem Museum Rotterdam, the Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen, the Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam, BOOR, Het Nieuwe Instituut, and the Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen. By collaborating and sharing knowledge and spaces, these institutions will be able to better manage, research, and preserve their collections.

In addition to DP6 and De Unie, the design team consists of Bureau B+B (landscape architecture), Galjema Technisch adviesbureau (mechanical and electrical systems), Nelissen Ingenieursbureau (building physics, sustainability), Pieters (structural engineering), and Multical (construction costs). The team will continue to refine the design in the coming period. The CCR is expected to become operational in early 2031.