Visit the Van Nelle Factory

We take a lot of things for granted today. Something that a century ago was thought to be revolutionary is today considered ordinary. That’s normal. That’s progress.

But what always impress me are the innovative things that have not just proven to be ahead of their time but have also stood the test of time – things that look like they could have been created this year but are actually from generations ago.

That’s why I find the Van Nelle Factory in the Dutch city of Rotterdam so impressive. It’s an enormous steel and glass construction that was designed and built in the 1920s but is still one of the masterpieces of a city that is renowned for its architecture.

Its inclusion as one of the World Heritage Sites of the Netherlands is a testament to its leading influence in the modernism movement – and it is well worth a visit!

When it was built almost 90 years ago, the factory was used for processing, packaging and dispatching the three main products of the Van Nelle company – coffee, tea and tobacco.

Three main sections, all slightly different heights and sizes, show how the products needed different amounts of space and the building was designed so there was no redundancy.

From the outside, the building shows the start of a new phase of architecture across the world. Large glass windows, steel, concrete and a mix of right angles and curves to create a flowing structure that merges the factory and its environment.

The Van Nelle factory also has the additional feature of covered inclined ramps that connect different buildings, almost like the boarding paths of an ocean liner (appropriate for a city so famous for its port).

The inside is where the most innovative elements lie, though. The company placed an emphasis on their workers – both as people and as cogs in a business. It was a humanist approach within a traditional corporate structure.

• The designers put in shower blocks during a time when hot running water in homes was not common.
• Traditional partitioned sections were abandoned in favour of a free-flowing workspace that felt more comfortable.
• Natural light was embraced.
• Airflow was a priority.
• Gardens were placed around the exterior as an escape during workers’ breaks.

But there were also design elements intended to influence the behaviour of the workers.

Steep stairs and small revolving doors forced people subconsciously to walk faster and be more efficient, for example.

And separate floors for men and women with staircases for each gender kept males and females apart so there would be no harassment (generally the women working there were young and this was mainly to protect them).

The Van Nelle factory was in use until the late 1990s but when the company decided it was no longer needed, its future was unclear. There was a period when demolition was an option but there were plenty of people who recognised its historic value.

In 1998 it was decided to turn it into a space for small companies to use as offices – mainly those with a link to the design industry. For a building that represented such a transformative and innovative period in architectural design, it was particularly appropriate.

That’s still what the site is used for today.

My guide on the sunny summer morning I visit is Hester Poortinga, a young Dutch woman who has just finished her architecture studies. It’s fun to see and hear about the building from someone who can look at it from a professional perspective.

She not only paints a broad picture but points out the small details I would otherwise miss – the holes in the columns where lights or temporary walls can be attached, for instance.

Although the current offices feel contemporary and look like a very cool place to work, the heritage has not been lost.

The exterior looks just the same and all through the inside are tributes to the original owners and design. The different sections of the building are still named for their original uses – tobacco, tea and coffee.

The Van Nelle Factory has truly stood the test of time. Innovative in the 1920s and still cool today in 2014. It deserves to be on the World Heritage List but it’s part of a cultural heritage that is not yet pure history.

Visiting the Van Nelle Factory

Unfortunately it’s a little tricky to visit the Van Nelle Factory – but, don’t worry, it is possible!

The problem is that it’s not generally open to the public because it’s used as an office building and for other events and functions.

If you just want to see it from the outside, then you can do that at any time any day, just like a normal building. There are car parks, if you’re driving. Or you can easily catch the bus from central Rotterdam to the Van Nelle Factory.

But if you have an interest in architecture or heritage, I really do recommend trying to go inside, because that’s where you’ll be able to truly appreciate the progressive design and the way it uses air, light, and space.

The good news is that there are guided tours to the Van Nelle Factory, and that’s how you can get inside the building.

Because the building is in use during the week, the tours are only run on the weekend. They tend to happen on both Saturday and Sunday during the warmer months and then just on Saturdays in colder months (although the exact dates tend to be a little flexible).

The group size is always kept small, which is good when you’re visiting. But it does mean they can sell out. I definitely recommend booking your tour here in advance.

The tour of Van Nelle Factory takes about an hour. Your guide will be able to tell you all about the architecture, the workings of the factory, and how the building was reclaimed for contemporary use.

Interestingly, the tours are run by the Chabot Museum, which is dedicated to the Dutch artist Hendrik Chabot and is housed in a beautiful modernist villa in Rotterdam’s Museumpark.

Although they are about four kilometres apart, your tour ticket for the Van Nelle Factory also gives you entrance to the Chabot Museum on the same day, so it might be worth popping in.

If you’re interested in an English book about the Van Nelle Factory, there’s a good one by Marieke Kuipers for sale at the Chabot Museum for €14.95.

For more information, see the official website of the Chabot Museum.

If you want to get something to eat while you’re at the Van Nelle Factory, there are a couple of good places in the neighbourhood. You have the option of some barbeque at Black Smoke Rotterdam or some pizza at the nearby Jack and Jones Pizza.

Also, remember, don’t miss out on a visit to the Chabot Museum before or after your visit to the Van Nelle Factory.

Time Travel Turtle was a guest of Rotterdam Marketing but the opinions, over-written descriptions and bad jokes are his own.