Portlantis exhibition center,
design: MVRDV
At the end of the Dutch coast, where the city meets the industrial powerhouse of the port, a unique building has been constructed. Portlantis, designed by the MVRDV studio, is a new visitor center - but not just any visitor center. It's a place that shows in a simple, attractive way how the port is changing and what its future might look like.
The Portlantis visitor and exhibition center in Rotterdam - the architects arranged five rectangular blocks so that each opens to a different view
photo by Ossip van Duivenbode © MVRDV
architecture that explains the world
The Port of Rotterdam is one of the largest in the world. Most people know of its existence, but few have the chance to really get to know it. Portlantis aims to change that. The building acts as a guidebook - telling people about the port, its history, its role in the economy and the challenges of climate change. The architects arranged the five rectangular blocks so that each opens to a different view: the sea, the dunes, the terminals, the industrial infrastructure. In this way, the form of the building itself becomes part of the story.
The Portlantis tourism and exhibition center in Rotterdam - a view of the massing
photo by Ossip van Duivenbode © MVRDV
expressive form and symbolic staircase
The Portlantis already catches the eye from afar with its expressive silhouette and the spiral red staircase that leads to the roof. The staircase is not just an architectural element - it also serves as a viewing terrace and encourages visitors to explore the building from the outside. The façade of fiber-cement panels and metal refers to the harbor landscape: simple, technical, austere.
Portlantis tourism and exhibition center in Rotterdam - design concept
© MVRDV
interior with experience in mind
Inside, Portlantis offers not a classic exhibition, but an interactive experience. The center consists of three exhibition floors, a 22-meter high courtyard and a panoramic roof. Kossmanndejong studio is responsible for the exhibition design, which combined multimedia, models and active educational zones. In the exhibition spaces, visitors can learn how the port works, how it affects the city and the environment, and what changes are planned in the coming decades. Downstairs there is a cafe overlooking the dunes, while upstairs there is a restaurant and a terrace with panoramic views of the port and the North Sea.
Portlantis tourism and exhibition center in Rotterdam - bird's eye view
photo by Ossip van Duivenbode © MVRDV
sustainable design and eco-friendly approach
Portlantis doesn't just talk about the future - it has itself been designed according to sustainable principles. The building's structure is modular and easily dismantled, and most of the materials will be reusable.
Portlantis tourism and exhibition center in Rotterdam - interior view
photo by Ossip van Duivenbode © MVRDV
The façade panels will be returned to the manufacturer after use. The building uses a heat pump, passive cooling and a wind turbine that produces more energy than Portlantis consumes. This is an example of architecture that realistically supports energy transformation.
Portlantis tourism and exhibition center in Rotterdam
Photo by Ossip van Duivenbode © MVRDV
connecting the port to the people
Portlantis also has a symbolic function - it brings the port closer to the public. It allows locals and tourists to better understand the importance of this massive infrastructure and to see that a modern port is more than containers and cranes. It is a space for innovation, research and environmental responsibility.
As Winy Maas, one of the founders of MVRDV, points out:
"Living in Rotterdam, the port is always somewhere on the horizon - it's 'there,' and many people have no idea what's going on there." Portlantis allows people to look inside, to see how the port is changing, how these changes affect the city and the lives of its residents. It does this in an extremely effective way - like a storytelling machine.
The Portlantis tourist and exhibition center in Rotterdam - view from the roof over the harbor and sea
photo by Ossip van Duivenbode © MVRDV
new education center model
Portlantis shows how to tell the story of complex infrastructure systems in a modern way. It's not a museum, but a living knowledge center - modern, visually appealing and accessible to all. It's also a model of how to build public facilities: functional, environmentally responsible and designed with user experience in mind. Portlantis doesn't just inform, it engages. And in the process, it proves that even infrastructure can be interesting - if we design it right.
Compiled by Anastazja Dżupina
Illustrations provided courtesy of MVRDV studio.
