CHALLENGE

Improve and redevelop the property of Station Hofplein.

INSIGHT

In 2006, four big housing corporations joined forces and purchased the Hofpleinlijn railway viaduct in Rotterdam. With future redevelopment, this historical property would add to the quality of life in the city.

IDEA

In 2009 BLEND Magazine redeveloped the De Hofbogen in collaboration with contain.r. Since Rotterdam has lots of talent scattered throughout the city, our vision was to unite the best local entrepreneurs in the fields of fashion, lifestyle and nightlife under one roof.

RESULT

The redevelopment of Station Hofplein breathed life into the defunct Hofpleinlijn railway, bringing a new vibrancy to the area. The project lead to the thorough reconstruction of six viaduct studios. The viaduct arches transformed into cultural and creative spaces, giving a home to establishments of art, boutiques, restaurants, bars and clubs. Entrepreneurial co-creation plays a large role in the course the project took, putting the wheels in motion to create a lively cultural hotspot. Opened in 2011, the Hofplein Mini Mall was on the shortlist for the Rotterdam Architectuur Prijs 2013 with the subject “Transformation”.

minimall from BLEND\BUREAUX on Vimeo.