When the project was initiated in 2008, two observations triggered the design of a cube for the FORUM, then called Coolsingel, after the nearby street. Firstly, the central position of the site, where Rotterdam’s most important pedestrian streets meet: Coolsingel, Lijnbaan, Binnenweg and Beurstraverse. The second observation was that Rotterdam’s post-war construction almost entirely of towers. High-rises create an impressive skyline, but their mono-functionality and lack of engagement with the surrounding public domain fails to create an attractive center.
Instead of yet another tower project competing for height, the project aimed to reconfigure the image of the center by inserting the pure form of the cube. The cube intended to reorganize its surroundings and generate floors that could accommodate a wide range of (public) programs. A system of voids introduced daylight inside the cube creating views to the surroundings.
To cater to the needs of different yet unknown users during the changing market conditions, strategies to generate flexibility became an essential part of the design process. The upper half of the cube combined voids with volumes that facilitated a generic program: residential, offices and hotel. Each block could be (re)utilized for either office, residential or hotel program. The voids generated public platforms to contain culture and leisure programs. via：afasia
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