The Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam Revolutionizes Storage

Its name, "Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen", plays on the French word "dépôt" (in the sense of a reserve or storage) and the Dutch "de pot", meaning "the pot". And this new place inaugurated last fall in the heart of Rotterdam indeed looks like a flowerpot. The round, minimalist building with its 1,664 mirrors reflects the urban environment and the sky, blending seamlessly into the landscape. "Rotterdam is a city that was rebuilt piece by piece after the Second World War," says architect Winy Maas from MVRDV, which designed the building. "Reflecting the environment is a testament to that history. Its circular shape reduces its footprint on the ground. The idea was to be as compact as possible, because today, the crucial issue in the Netherlands and around the world is space." With a total surface area of 165,764 sq ft (15,400 m 2) , the "Depot" is a model of its kind, firstly in terms of its financing. "The building cost €94 M, covered by a bank loan of €53 M spread over 40 years at a very low-interest rate, and supplemented by donations of €41 M," says Sjarel Ex, co-director…