Renovation work on the façade to the World Trace Center in Rotterdam has recently started. BiermanHenket produced the master plan for the integral renovation and sustainability project of the listed WTC complex from 1940, designed by architect J.F. Staal. The plan will be further detailed and executed in stages. The renovation of the listed façades is one of the subplans and will involve renewing the aluminium façades, cleaning the natural stone and replacing the glass.

The renovation of the façade will realise significant gains in sustainability. ‘By using new insulating glass, CO2-emissions from the building will be reduced by over 30 tonnes per year. We have worked out the detail of the façades very carefully, so that the building is more sustainable, while at the same time its heritage look has been restored,’ architect Joep van As explains. The façade renovation started on the Meentzijde side of the building, which is expected to be completed within five months. Then it is the turn of the façades on the Rodezand and Coolsingel sides.