One More Wall Well Done – FIRST office building

general info
address: Weena 760, south facade, Rotterdam
design of the text wall: Martijn Sandberg
architect of the building: Architecten CiePero Puljiz , Branimir Medić
realised: 2015-2016
materials of the text wall: red stone brick in relief
details: (lxh) 27.30m x 3.50m
commissioned by: First Rotterdam CV, Maarsen Groep BV, MAB Development
technique: shifted bricks in a red masonry wall
looks like: pixelated fonts

letter details
category: pixel letters
narrow or wide: narrow
strokes: different
capitals or romans: capitals
bold or light: normal
cursive or upright: upright
similars: Entrance hall, Synagogue LJG, Amsterdam / Supermarkt wall, Oud Beijerland, Kwakscheweg 10

one more wall
one more wall E
One more wall o

SIGN
The quote “One More Wall Well Done” appears in the play of light and shadow when one is passing by the wall. The text itself is a tribute to the making of a brick wall, the rebuilding of Rotterdam after the bombing during the Second World War, and a homage to the artwork “Wall Relief” no.1 by Henry Moore, on the north facade of the same building. The wall is 27 meter long and 3,5 meter high. Each letter is composed of bricks turned 90 degrees, sticking out 10 cm. Bricks are all 21 x 10 x 5cm. Martijn Sandberg sought for archetypes: a classical stretcher bond and where possible, letters with a serif: the E’s and L’s. See also http://msandberg.nl/text.php?kunstwerkid=407&lang=yes

ARCHITECTURE
The office building FIRST replaces the former Bouwcentrum, a post-war information center serving the booming post-war Rotterdam and Dutch building industry. This building was realised by architect Joost Boks in 1954. During the demolition the brick Wall Relief No.1 by Henry Moore composed of 16.000 hand-carved bricks was kept and carefully stored.

See also: Sculpture International Rotterdam and Wouter van Stiphout on Wall Relief No.1 .

At the time, the sculptured brick wall was a gift from the Dutch Brick Industry and when designing the new office building FIRST, the Architecten Cie in Amsterdam had to integrate the sculpture in the new design. In addition, the artist Martijn Sandberg has realised “One More Wall Well Done” on the southern facade.

FIRST
client: Weenapoint II Vastgoed, Rotterdam
architect: Pero Puljiz, Branimir Medić
program: 44.500m2 offices, 800m2 commercial space, 190 underground parking spaces
commission: 2009
construction: 2012-2015

The office building First is located on a prominent location in Rotterdam: opposite to the new Central Station and the post-war Groothandelsgebouw. The site borders onto the Central Business District as well as the 19th century residential district of the ‘Old West’. The complex comprises a rectangular base block of 35 metres tall with a tower of 130 metres. The transparent plinth hosts entrance lobbies, a restaurant and an art gallery. Continuing this plinth on the east side, a fully glazed conservatory connects to the existing buildings. This serves both as a windbreak and as a transparent entrance to the court at the rear of the building.