Valckensteyn Demonstrates the Potential of Mass Timber for Affordable Housing

Powerhouse Company has completed Valckensteyn, Rotterdam’s first mass timber residential building. The project delivers 82 affordable rental homes in the Pendrecht district. Commissioned by housing corporation Woonstad Rotterdam, it shows that affordable housing can combine low environmental impact with high living quality.

The new building stands on the site of the original Valckensteyn tower, which served the neighbourhood from 1971 until 2012. Powerhouse Company reinterpreted the former building’s distinctive staggered form while introducing a contemporary material strategy based on prefabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT).

Cross-Laminated Timber Reduces Material Use

The 12-storey building follows a 7.2-metre structural grid and relies primarily on prefabricated CLT elements. Only the ground floor and the lift and stair cores use another structural system. This approach demonstrates the growing potential of mass timber for multi-storey residential buildings.

Prefabrication reduces construction time, improves quality control and helps minimise material waste. As a result, the project highlights how engineered timber can lower embodied carbon while supporting the delivery of affordable homes.

The architects matched each material to its specific function. They left timber surfaces exposed where conditions allow, reducing the need for additional finishes and showcasing the natural material. In areas that require greater durability, they installed demountable fibre cement panels. These panels simplify maintenance and support future disassembly and material reuse. At ground level, a travertine-clad plinth references a material commonly found in Rotterdam’s post-war architecture, linking the new building to the neighbourhood’s history.

Nature and Wellbeing Shape the Design

Valckensteyn combines material innovation with a strong focus on biodiversity and resident wellbeing. Every apartment includes a west-facing balcony almost two metres deep, giving residents generous private outdoor space.

LAP Landscape & Urban Design created a park-like setting around the building with shared green spaces and natural play areas. The design team also integrated nesting boxes for birds and bats into the façade, helping to strengthen local biodiversity.

By combining mass timber construction, prefabrication and design for disassembly, Valckensteyn demonstrates a practical approach to circular building. Together with its biodiversity measures, the project shows how affordable housing can create a more sustainable built environment without compromising architectural quality or everyday comfort.

Source: Powerhouse Company (via v2com Newswire)
Photos: Sebastian van Damme