Discover the layers of heritage in concrete.
Join a special 30-minute guided tour of KATOENHUIS, led by Creative Producer Mar Gimeno Lumbiarres, during Open Monumentendag. Nestled in Rotterdam’s Keile District, this striking post-war warehouse was built in 1950 by harbour entrepreneur Jan Dirk van Bennekum to store cotton from South America and Egypt—marking a moment of resilience and industrial growth in the wake of WWII.
Designed by architects Vermeer & Van Herwaarden, the building features an innovative mix of prefabricated concrete and traditional brickwork, and has been recognised as Beeldbepalend (iconic architecture).
KATOENHUIS holds layered significance—not just architecturally, but as a place shaped by multiple generations. From its roots in trade and craftsmanship, to the underground rave scene of the early 2000s (Reactor), to its period as a fruit storage hub under local entrepreneur Antonio Oken, the building has continually adapted to meet the needs of its time.
Today, it stands at the forefront of cultural and technological reinvention—as a space for immersive installations, digital media, and spatial storytelling, and as an active player in the transformation of Rotterdam’s M4H district from port to creative engine.
This tour offers a rare opportunity to explore how heritage can live on—not by standing still, but by being reimagined, reused, and reactivated across generations.
More about the KATOENHUIS: https://www.katoenhuis.nl/
