Ferro Offices, Rotterdam building renovation

Ferro Offices building renovation in Rotterdam

26 May 2026

Architects: GROUP A

Location: Merwe-Vierhavens, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Photos: Sebastian van Damme

In the Merwe-Vierhavens (M4H) area of Rotterdam, Ferro Offices has been completed: a radical renovation of a former industrial headquarters into a future-proof multi-tenant office building where innovation and collaboration take center stage. The former Ferro headquarters from 1969 has been revitalized by architecture studio GROUP A, commissioned by the Port of Rotterdam, as a workplace for port pioneers working toward a sustainable port.

Combining adaptive reuse, contemporary architecture, and sustainable design strategies, Ferro Offices demonstrates how former industrial port buildings can be reimagined as dynamic environments for innovation, work, and urban life.

A workplace for port innovators

Ferro Offices accommodates entrepreneurs and companies working on themes such as energy transition, new mobility, and circularity. On the ground floor, a double-height makerspace provides flexible space for production, complemented by an indoor bicycle parking facility that encourages sustainable mobility.

The central staircase, together with a public plinth featuring a café, shared lunch facilities, and stepped seating areas, forms the collective heart of the building — a place where maritime entrepreneurs come together.

Reuse as a starting point

The original office building was completely stripped back to its structural frame, which now forms the foundation for the redevelopment. By preserving the existing structure, the project reduced CO₂ emissions by approximately 75 percent compared to complete new construction.

Ferro Offices demonstrates how the reuse of existing buildings can become a powerful strategy for creating a low-carbon built environment. Characteristic elements of the original building were carefully restored, including the glass block façade and the monumental natural stone staircase with wooden handrails.

New interventions and spatial identity

The project goes beyond preservation alone. The strength of the existing structure made it possible to add an additional floor without major material-intensive interventions. The south façade was recessed to create terraces on the office floors, providing outdoor space — a rare quality in office buildings — while also offering natural solar shading.

A new central atrium with a sculptural staircase opens the building from within and draws daylight deep into its core, while marking the entrance facing Ferro Square. This intervention gives the building a new orientation and a contemporary identity within the robust industrial landscape of M4H.

Sustainability and performance

Sustainability is integrated throughout the design. The façade is constructed from biobased materials and fitted with wooden louvers that reduce solar heat gain and minimize the need for mechanical cooling. The building is fully gas-free, equipped with solar panels, complies with Dutch BENG standards, has achieved energy label A++++, and received BREEAM-NL Outstanding certification.

Shaping the Rotterdam Makers District

Ferro Offices is closely connected to the ongoing transformation of M4H and RDM Rotterdam into the Rotterdam Makers District, where the municipality and the Port of Rotterdam are shaping a new urban ecosystem for living, working, learning, and innovation. In collaboration with companies, knowledge institutions, and students, the district is evolving into a cleaner, smarter, and globally connected port environment.

Through adaptive reuse and carefully integrated new interventions, Ferro Offices reconnects Rotterdam’s industrial heritage with the future of the port, setting a new benchmark for innovation-driven redevelopment in former harbor districts.

Architecture: GROUP A – https://groupa.nl/nl//