Belvedere

The KPN building in Rotterdam, officially known as Belvedere, is also called Toren of Zuid (Tower in the South). It houses the regional headquarters of KPN Telecom. The building was primarily designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When it was completed in 2000, this office building was one of the first new structures on the Wilhelmina Pier, standing at a height of 98 meters with 23 floors. There are two lower levels under the building, providing parking spaces for 254 vehicles.

Inclined Illuminated Billboard

The KPN building is a real attraction in the nighttime of Rotterdam. Its façade has a slope of almost 6%, which is steeper than the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The slanted façade is interrupted by a 50-meter steel post.

The building’s slanted frontage is designed as a large billboard measuring 90 by 40 meters. It features around 1,000 green lamps arranged in a grid, creating animated images. KPN provides 50% of the images displayed, while the municipality of Rotterdam contributes 20% with general and social content. The Willem de Kooning Academy is responsible for the remaining 20%, showcasing artistic expressions.

The KPN building with one of its many light effects

Discover other icons of Rotterdam’s architecture