Chabot Museum Rotterdam and UNESCO World Heritage site Van Nelle Factory
Rotterdam is known for its modern architecture, with the Depot in the Museum Park as the most recent attraction. But did you know that the city already embraced modernity in the early 20th century? Rotterdam is seen as the cradle of ‘Het Nieuwe Bouwen’, the Dutch modernist architecture movement of the early 20th century, characterized by light, air and space, and closely related to the internationally renowned Bauhaus. Its members maintained a lively exchange of ideas on architecture, art and design, which revolved around helping to build a new and better world, after World War I had ended. Now, you can discover two very fine examples of Rotterdam modernist architecture: The Chabot Museum and UNESCO World Heritage site Van Nelle Factory. The Chabot Museum offers guided tours every weekend, including a shuttle bus between the locations.
Art in one of Rotterdams most beautiful villas
The Chabot Museum for International Expressionism is housed in an icon of the Nieuwe Bouwen style, located in the bustling Museum Park. Here, you can experience art in the light, open spaces of one of Rotterdam’s most beautiful villas. This summer it shows highlightsand defining moments from Henk Chabot’s (1894-1949) broad oeuvre. Known for his often monumental and idiosyncratic paintings of landscapes, people and animals, he was inspired by his immediate working and living environment on the river Rotte and his close relationship with the people who lived there. However, he also visited other Dutch regions together with friends, to immerse himself into their sublime scenery and depict a heavily concentrated version of this in his art. An intimate art experience on a world class level.
UNESCO World Heritage site van Nelle Factory
This unique industrial building from 1931, that once processed coffee, tea and tobacco, is considered the symbol of the Dutch ‘Nieuwe Bouwen’ movement and an international highlight of Modernism. The Van Nelle Factory, a UNESCO World Heritage since 2014, is world famous for its progressive design, in which air, light and space gained an entirely new role in architecture. This included daylight to the factory floors, state of the art facilities for all employees and greatly improved the working conditions. It is without a doubt one of the most extraordinary buildings in town. Le Corbusier even called it ‘the most beautiful spectacle of the modern age’.
With Chabot to van Nelle
Devotees of architecture, art and industrial heritage will enjoy themselves with a guided tour celebrating Rotterdam Modernism. An experienced guide from the wonderful UrbanGuides will bring to life the architecture, production process and modern transformation of the factory, but also what it was like to work here. Experience the building from the inside and out and discover why this groundbreaking design was of great architectural importance. Every Saturday and Sunday, including shuttle bus.
Chabot Museum Rotterdam
www.chabotmuseum.nl