Wholesale Building (Rotterdam)

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The name of this, the pre-eminent symbol of Rotterdam's post-war reconstruction, refers to the wholesalers who had lost their premises during the air raid of 1940 and had been collectively rehoused in this multiple-occupancy building. The Dutch name as spoken by Rotterdamers, emphasizing the first syllable (groot), is an indication that its great size and grand demeanour are every bit as impressive today. At the time of delivery the vast block (220x84x43 m) was the largest building in the Netherlands. Retail spaces occupy the ground floor and mezzanine of the building outer's side.
The building project was created by H.A. Maaskant, W. van Tijen and built between 1945-1952.
The wholsale building was restored to its original state by the Van Sight firm of restoration architects in 2000-2005.