Location: Rotterdam
Year: 2025
Area: 790 m2
Status: tender, final round
Client: Municipality of Rotterdam
Team: Remko Remijnse, Karsten Schep, Agnese Argenti, Emanuele Saracino

The new House of the Neighborhood Mathenesse in Rotterdam is conceived as a sustainable and contemporary community hub within the Serum Park, designed to foster connection, inclusion, and social interaction. More than just a public building, it is envisioned as a welcoming “home” for local residents: an accessible and inviting place where people can meet, organize activities, learn, relax, and participate in neighborhood life. The project aims to create a vibrant social heart for Mathenesse that brings together different generations, cultures, and backgrounds while strengthening the relationship between the park and the surrounding urban fabric.
Urbanistically, the design responds carefully to the existing architectural character of Grieksestraat, a street defined by several distinctive historic and modern buildings. The House of the Neighborhood is positioned as a contemporary addition to this sequence and acts as a recognizable gateway to both the Serum Park and Oud-Mathenesse. By placing the building slightly deeper into the park landscape, the green space becomes more visible and inviting from the street. A transparent passage running through the building creates a visual and physical connection between the neighborhood and the park, reinforcing openness and accessibility. Multiple entrances further support a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor activities, allowing the building to interact dynamically with its surroundings.
The landscape design plays an essential role in shaping the identity of the project. Around the building, a series of carefully designed outdoor spaces creates a cohesive and varied environment, each with its own atmosphere and use. The southeast side features an open forecourt designed for informal gatherings, neighborhood events, and community activities. On the southwest side, a quieter and more intimate green garden offers space for retreat and relaxation. Along the northwest edge, picnic areas and a terrace connected to the café and bar encourage informal encounters and social interaction. To the northeast, a community-managed picking and vegetable garden provides opportunities for education, participation, and urban ecology. Together, these outdoor spaces form an extension of the building itself, blurring the boundary between interior and landscape and creating a continuous public environment.
Architecturally, the building subtly references the history of the site, particularly the former National Serum Institute. Its overall form, vertical window rhythm, and selected architectural details draw inspiration from surrounding historic structures while being reinterpreted in a contemporary manner. The wooden façade gives the building a warm, natural, and sustainable character that harmonizes with the green setting of the park. A carefully composed rhythm of open and closed façade elements creates a balance between transparency and intimacy. Above, the green mansard roof integrates water retention and sustainable building systems, contributing to the project’s environmental resilience and long-term sustainability.
Internally, the building is organized around a central “community living room”: an open and flexible social space that connects all functions within the House of the Neighborhood. Around this central core are the kitchen, café-bar, multifunctional halls, and information areas. Flexible partitions allow the spaces to adapt easily to a wide range of activities, from intimate workshops and meetings to larger neighborhood events and celebrations. Generous sightlines, voids, and abundant natural daylight create a strong sense of openness, orientation, and safety throughout the building. At the same time, quieter areas such as reading corners and a small library on the upper floor provide opportunities for reflection and concentration. Through its spatial organization, material expression, and integration with the landscape, the project creates a welcoming and inclusive place that strengthens the social fabric of Mathenesse and offers a meaningful new public destination for the neighborhood.