MVRDV has designed the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

This project is the world's first fully accessible art depot located in the heart of Rotterdam, featuring exhibition halls, a rooftop garden, a restaurant and a vast amount of storage space for art and design.

The concept of the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is to offer a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of the museum world by making its entire art collection accessible to the public.

MVRDV designed a bowl-like form for the depot's structure, where the ground-level footprint is small – maintaining views throughout Museumpark – while the roof is as expansive as possible. One of the building's most distinctive features is the reflective facade, comprised of 6,609 square metres of glass subdivided into 1,664 mirrored panels.

The mirroring panels ensure the integration of the design with its surroundings, thus honouring the activity and nature of the Museumpark.

This project has been longlisted in the cultural building category of Dezeen Awards 2022.

Designer: MVRDV

Project: Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen