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Housing corporation Woonstad Rotterdam aimed to add a new residential building with affordable rental homes to the post-war Pendrecht neighborhood on the southern edge of Rotterdam. Combining the client's ambition to build in timber with our proven expertise with this material, the design emerged. Valckensteyn is built on the site of the former Valckensteyn building, which shaped the area’s streetscape from 1971 to 2012. At the time, this high-rise by architect Kranendonk was a novelty for the area, with two staggered wings rising 10 and 14 stories high. The characteristic staggered volume of that building is reflected in the new design. With the exception of the ground floor and elevator/stair cores, Valckensteyn’s main structure is made entirely of cross-laminated timber (CLT).
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Valckensteyn connects to the clear urban planning structure of Pendrecht, designed by Lotte Stam-Beese, in which high-rise and low-rise buildings are carefully placed around green, collective outdoor spaces that give the neighborhood its open and spacious character. A landscape concept has been developed, including a communal garden that provides space for both flora and fauna. The parking area features eco-friendly permeable paving and water infiltration. This creates a green parking area and contributes to biodiversity. The building itself includes biodiversity features such as bird and bat nest boxes integrated into the façade. West-facing balconies offer the residents broad views and a strong connection to nature.
The 12-story, 40-meter-tall Valckensteyn building was constructed using 2,000 m³ of timber, enabling it to store an impressive 1,500 tons of CO2 – in addition to 1,700 tons of emissions avoided during construction. The solid timber, supplied by Binderholz, is PEFC-certified and sourced from sustainably managed forests. Within the distinctive volume, the CLT elements are meticulously optimized in thickness to minimize material waste. Designed for disassembly, Valckensteyn uses 2D components and was assembled primarily with dry connections. This approach supports reuse in future life cycles and aligns with principles of circular construction. As such, Valckensteyn serves as a showcase for large-scale, affordable mass timber construction.
The design of Valckensteyn combines innovative materials with elegance and cost efficiency, thereby creating an efficient and highly sustainable residential building. What makes the project exceptional is that it was developed entirely for a housing corporation, consisting solely of affordable rental units. It is the first timber apartment building of this scale in Rotterdam, and notably, the first to combine this construction method with a fully affordable housing program. Projects like Valckensteyn help maintain social diversity, reduce housing inequality, and relieve pressure on overstretched housing systems, contributing to a more inclusive and resilient urban environment. Timber plays a key role in achieving these ambitions. As a naturally CO2-storing material, it offers an inherently sustainable alternative to conventional construction. In addition, timber enables faster construction timelines, making it highly suitable for addressing urgent housing needs. While the material itself may come at a slightly higher cost than concrete, the reduced building time offsets this difference – supporting both cost efficiency and affordability. This cost efficiency enables us to deliver 82 affordable units that do not compromise in quality. This combination of architectural quality, sustainability, and affordability presented a unique set of challenges, making the project a pioneering example within the industry.
Mohamed el Achkar, Chairman of the Board: ‘We are proud to contribute to the continued renewal of Pendrecht with an innovative and affordable residential building. This development not only enhances the quality of life in the neighborhood but also reinforces the social and spatial fabric of the city as a whole.’ Robbert Groeneveld, Project Manager: ‘The building is unique of its kind and has given timber construction in the Netherlands a push in the right direction.’
Powerhouse Company is an international architecture firm with offices in Rotterdam, Munich and Oslo. Since its founding in 2005, the firm has grown into a multidisciplinary team of more than a hundred designers and specialists. The portfolio includes a wide range of projects – from transformations and residential buildings to interiors, villas, and public buildings. Powerhouse Company delivers integrated design solutions that connect timeless aesthetics with technical precision and a constant focus on innovation.
