In Q4 of 2008 construction will start on yet another skyscraper in Rotterdam - this time a 170m office tower designed by Norman Foster & Partners. They are also responsible for the two other buildings on the north side of the pier: the World Port Center and the MSS building (lowrise). Baltimore will be a 'green tower', which fits in government policies to make buildings friendly for the environment.

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/8460/baltimore1xm6.jpg

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/5645/baltimore2az2.jpg

http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/3841/66918767zh5.jpg

Baltimore will be built on the world famous Wilhelminapier - an old harbour that is rapidly transforming into a popular place for living, working and leisure. More information on the entire pier can be found in this topic:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=477850&highlight=wilhelminapier

The Wilhelminapier and the 'Kop Van Zuid'-area that it is part of, are just an 'Erasmus Bridge'/river removed from the city center that is also full of highrises. On this new urban area across the bridge, Baltimore is one of the final developments. The highrise cluster will consist of:

Baltimore (Foster & Partners) - 170m - Q4 2008
Maastoren (Dam & Partners) - 165m and 108m - U/C
New Orleans (Alvaro Siza) - 159m - U/C
Havana (Cruz Y Ortiz) - 154m - Q1 2010
Montevideo (Mecanoo) - 152m - built
De Rotterdam (Rem Koolhaas) - 139m - Q1 2008
World Port Center (Foster & Partners) - 123m - built
Toren op Zuid (Renzo Piano) - 93m - built
Wilhelminatoren (Dam & Partners) - 90m - built
Cite (Erick van Egeraat) - 90m - U/C

Plus a lot of 60 to 90m towers that have either been built or are under construction.

Don't like the design at all. And the space between WPC and Baltimore is to little.

The hight is oke. :)

nice, i like the design :)

nice! And it has a great name too! ;)

I like it very much, the building has a very industrial look which suits Rotterdam and its location very well!

@ MDguy, yeah isn't it something that one of the highest buildings (only one proposed building is higher) in Rotterdam is named after such a 'boring' town in Maryland....:wink2:

And one of the most beautiful cities on the eastcoast only gets a building of 70 meters on the Wilhelminapier.....yup talking about Philly! :wink2: :nuts:

:cry:

Don't feel down MDguy ;)

All places in the world have a beaty of their own.

Height isn't most important.

However iám going to like this new Baltimore building in Rotterdam very much.
Once completed i can see this one from my place here at the PC if ik look to the right :lol:

I really don't understand a lot of people, espessially on the dutch forum. In my opinion, I don't see any reason to be optimistic about the looks of this building. It's quit boring, out of any perspective and the colors doesn't mach with montevideo, or any other building on the wilheminapier.

As I said before, the hight is oke. But is that enough love the building anyway? It's just to close to the WPC and it doesn't fit between the other buildings.

But oke, let's wait for some more renders.

I really don't understand a lot of people, espessially on the dutch forum. In my opinion, I don't see any reason to be optimistic about the looks of this building. It's quit boring, out of any perspective and the colors doesn't mach with montevideo, or any other building on the wilheminapier.

As I said before, the hight is oke. But is that enough love the building anyway? It's just to close to the WPC and it doesn't fit between the other buildings.

But oke, let's wait for some more renders.

het gebouw is watg mij betreft wel goed. ,aar hij staat inderdaad VEEL te dicht op WPC:(

That's nice. If there's more renderings for my voracious eyes.

meh

http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/7515/53536931rt3.jpg

@ Skyscrap

You don't get to decide if other people like it fortunately! Personally, I would also love this design if it wasn't 170m. I love the folded brown steel beams, the vertical lines, the glass and the podium. Also the huge glass skylobby is amazing! It doesn't have to 'match' with other buildings imo...

Another 170 meter for Rotterdam!

This is getting ridiculous!;)

@ Skyscrap

You don't get to decide if other people like it fortunately! Personally, I would also love this design if it wasn't 170m. I love the folded brown steel beams, the vertical lines, the glass and the podium. Also the huge glass skylobby is amazing! It doesn't have to 'match' with other buildings imo...

i think these are just detailes, Skyscrap is wright about the aproaching of the WPC.
still, these two buildings have similarities, those two volumes decaled, only the shapes are different- the curved wall of WPC-and the high.
architects have different styles, but they must assume the continuity in the context they build.

@ Skyscrap

You don't get to decide if other people like it fortunately! Personally, I would also love this design if it wasn't 170m. I love the folded brown steel beams, the vertical lines, the glass and the podium. Also the huge glass skylobby is amazing! It doesn't have to 'match' with other buildings imo...

So you would like to say, you love chaos? It's just to wide. I definitely know for sure, you would prefer an other design, when it was released, that contains a building that fits more on the wilhelminapier, and didn't stand so close to the WPC.

Onfortunately, thats not the case, and we have to do it with this design. A shame in my opinion, because the WPC and montevideo are some top design buildings. New Orleans is a bit to boring, but it fit well in his environment. This would fit much more on the place of baltimore:


http://www.rvrbv.nl/files/assets/132/maquette05.jpg

This because it's color fit's well to montevideo and the WPC, it is much skinnier. It's an old design of rvrbv architects

^^ just let people make up their own mind.

I truly love the design, only the height difference between the lower and the taller part could be a bit bigger. I don't think the space between with WPC is too small, look at what a great couple they make.

@ Skycrap

There is no space for a tower with a bigger distance to WPC. Have you ever been on the pier? Maybe from a far view it looks weird, but this will fit the pier very well. It's a match made in heaven! And maybe I would like another design, but that depends on the design - and that goes for EVERY tower right. Doesn't mean I cannot LOVE this one.

I just don't like people who think their opinion is superior :)

Is the Balitmore really 170 meters??, I thougt 150 meters.

I don't think my opinion is superior. But it's just the same here in Enschede:

Also here is the space between the 2 buildings to little.
http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/2570/dish1zh8.jpg

The only thing they had to at the Baltimore building is mirror it, so the lower part becomes the highest. That would improve a lot.

^ That is a good suggestion, have to give you credit for that!

I don't think my opinion is superior. But it's just the same here in Enschede:


@Skycrap
I don't get the comparison of the picture you show and Baltimore's situation.
That's a totally different situation.

BTW... i like the height of the tower because it will create a bit more difference in heights on the pier. And if you ask me, this location is the best spot to do so.
I don't think the design is bad... don't think it's very special too.

Let's build it... NOW :cheers:

I like it just because it is not so special, every tower in Rotterdam always got to be special wich can look really weird all together. But this tower is nice because it is kinda basic, but goodlooking basic!

Its foster... you gotta love it!

Amazing! 170m is incredible for Rotterdam. And I love the design, it's very international but still fits it's location of historical importance very well!

@ Skycrap

I don't understand what this project has to do with some stand alone tower in a provincial town. It's just a total different situation! Towers in other metropolises stand closer to eachtother sometimes, and I love it!

I agree. ANd which city can say they have 3 Fosters in a row! :cheers:

probably none, but is foster really so great? me thinks not ...

still good for rotterdam. it's funny how the heights are slowly aproaching the 200m mark. it's only a matter of time till we see something 200m+ in rdam.

probably none, but is foster really so great? me thinks not ...

You can argue his designs, but to disagree the greatness of Sir Norman? Look at the stature he has as an architect and the major projects he has been involved in.

Amazing! 170m is incredible for Rotterdam. And I love the design, it's very international but still fits it's location of historical importance very well!

@ Skycrap

I don't understand what this project has to do with some stand alone tower in a provincial town. It's just a total different situation! Towers in other metropolises stand closer to eachtother sometimes, and I love it!

This discussion isen't about city's mate. It's about a project in a city. What I said before, is that they put it to directly along the WPC.

As comparicing I used an example of the new Dish Hotel, thats because the same problem appears here also. Because 2 towers, there in Rotterdam, and here in this "little farm village" have to deal with the same problem, a lack of space. Thats why, imo, a strange composition appears.

I already sudjest to mirror the building. The result you can see on the dutch forum. Imo, much, much better.

grappig dat zo'n rotterdamthreads op het internationale forum altijd overspoeld worden door nederlanders die dan in het engels met elkaar in discussie gaan :)

grappig dat zo'n rotterdamthreads op het internationale forum altijd overspoeld worden door nederlanders die dan in het engels met elkaar in discussie gaan :)

Yes you're right:) , but you must talk here in english.
No single guys from another country's in Wolrd News :lol:

@ MDguy, yeah isn't it something that one of the highest buildings (only one proposed building is higher) in Rotterdam is named after such a 'boring' town in Maryland....:wink2:

Excuse me? Is that sarcasm?

You can argue his designs, but to disagree the greatness of Sir Norman? Look at the stature he has as an architect and the major projects he has been involved in.



greatness? this is also very arguable.

grappig dat zo'n rotterdamthreads op het internationale forum altijd overspoeld worden door nederlanders die dan in het engels met elkaar in discussie gaan :)

Funny how always in dutch topics on the international forums people start to talk dutch. Please keep it international here, so english.

This discussion isen't about city's mate. It's about a project in a city. What I said before, is that they put it to directly along the WPC.

As comparicing I used an example of the new Dish Hotel, thats because the same problem appears here also. Because 2 towers, there in Rotterdam, and here in this "little farm village" have to deal with the same problem, a lack of space. Thats why, imo, a strange composition appears.

I already sudjest to mirror the building. The result you can see on the dutch forum. Imo, much, much better.

First, I'm not your mate. ;)

You bring your opinion like it is a fact. Yes this tower is close to the WPC tower, but in my opinion, and many others' opinion, this is just fine. I love it when buildings are packed close together.

Besides that you dish hotel example is totally different because the size of the buildings is much different. The building besides that tower is not even a real highrise. That city it building a nice skyline by dropping some cool tower here and there. In Rotterdam we try to reach a much different urbanitiy by packing towers close together. The area of this tower will have a Floor Space Index of over 5! That is really extreme!

Your suggestion to mirror the building is nice, but I still prefer the original position.

:cheers: mate! ;)

woooo guys, chill! i just came back home from a street fight hoping i'd have a peaceful night of browsing ssc. but noooo, the night is still young! come on, we're talking buildings here. if you want to have a heated argument, at least let it be over a chick or money or something. just remember, love and peace!

anyways, nice building and stuff. i think the mirrored version would definitely be a great addition to rotterdam's skyline. it's a shame not too many foreigners voice their opinions in this thread. it's foster after all. not too shabby a name i'd say. and not too shabby a building either :cheers:

First, I'm not your mate. ;)

You bring your opinion like it is a fact. Yes this tower is close to the WPC tower, but in my opinion, and many others' opinion, this is just fine. I love it when buildings are packed close together.

Besides that you dish hotel example is totally different because the size of the buildings is much different. The building besides that tower is not even a real highrise. That city it building a nice skyline by dropping some cool tower here and there. In Rotterdam we try to reach a much different urbanitiy by packing towers close together. The area of this tower will have a Floor Space Index of over 5! That is really extreme!

Your suggestion to mirror the building is nice, but I still prefer the original position.

:cheers: mate! ;)

Did you here me saying that I call that building highrise? It's 50 meters high, so it isn't. That may be not very high, but it's certainly a big building. It was just a comparesing witch, in both situations, an mirror-switch would uprate the own identity of the buildings. Here, and over there in Rotterdam.

Skyscrapercitizen and Skycrap - Cool off, please.

Skyscrapercitizen and Skycrap - Cool off, please.

damn straight, mate ;) can we expect some high definition renders to be released in the near future? the ones we got now are screenshots from a website. does anyone have better ones? it would be muchos appreciated.

^^

I've been cool all the time. :)

I don't know when new, high resloution renders come, this is all we have now. I thinks it depends on the process when we get better ones.

great building

new renders:

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/7307/baltimorenq6.jpg

http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/8021/baltimoreimpressieay0.jpg

http://i26.tinypic.com/55near.jpg

website: http://www.shapingthefuture.nl/

Very, very nice :cheers:

I like this color, but the orange was (much) better!

Wow I like the new renders very much :)

Nice design and excellent location. Superb!

Taken today, 16.03:

http://207.44.228.231/marin/Baltimore_16032008.jpg

http://207.44.228.231/marin/Baltimore_1603200802.jpg

Definitely my favorite design of all the towers proposed for the Wilhelminapier.

Update ? News ?

Check back in 2017...

^^ :D Already thought that it was not you who made that bump.

I wouldn't have the guts!

Good morning! is there any update about this project? still propose? thanx :)

Yes that what they saying.