The Santos Warehouse in Rotterdam, built between 1901 and 1902, was once a coffee warehouse and now holds the status of a listed building. This historic structure has been restored and, from the second half of 2025, will be the new home of the National Museum of Photography. Metadecor has created a modern aluminium façade cladding with MD Designperforation, in the form of a crown that appears to hover above the building. The extension gives the building a contemporary touch while maintaining harmony with the historical façade, giving it an innovative appearance.

From warehouse to museum

Initially, the German design department store Stilwerk was set to move into the Santos Warehouse. However, in 2023, the National Museum of Photography acquired the building during the renovation phase. The restoration and conversion of the building was carried out based on designs by Renner Hainke Wirth Zirn Architekten from Hamburg and WDJArchitecten from Rotterdam. The monumental eight-storey structure now accommodates exhibition spaces, a museum shop, a library, an education centre, communal areas, a café, and a rooftop restaurant offering panoramic views of the Rotterdam skyline.

The design of the perforation and the aluminium panels is parametrically crafted, transforming a flat panel into a dynamic texture. A considerable amount of glass has been used behind the façade. The design takes privacy and sun protection into account, contributing to the building's climate control. The gap between the glass and the MD Designperforation façade creates an airflow that helps expel warm air, ensuring natural ventilation.

A play of triangles: tailor-made perforation

The 'skin' of the crown is designed as a semi-transparent, perforated aluminium layer. The pattern was developed in close collaboration with the architect. It is based on a triangular perforation, varying in size and spread across the building. This variation creates a secondary pattern, subtly revealing larger triangles in the façades. The pattern and the underlying structure are precisely aligned to combine maximum transparency with minimal visibility of the underlying framework.

INSPIRATION

PIXEL

PATTERN

Clever preparation, precise execution

The panels with the highest levels of both open and closed perforation were initially tested in a 1:1 scale mock-up. Both strength and deflection were thoroughly checked during these tests. The tests were successfully discontinued at 150% of the maximum load to be assessed.

A great deal of attention was paid to ensuring a solid foundation during the installation process. We integrated as much intelligence as possible into the fixing brackets. All of these were installed from a scaffold, using total station measurement to align with the existing steel structure. Thanks to this precise positioning, the large prefabricated elements were quickly and efficiently lifted and installed onto the roof structure. With the Metadecor element systems, we are able to create high-quality and striking facades, even in challenging locations.

The golden crown has, as it were, been drawn into the building, as the top floor of the atrium, located in the centre of the building, is also covered with the same golden panels. As a striking feature, the freestanding staircase on the 6th floor, which runs through the atrium, is also wrapped in the same golden panels.