Van Nelle Factory

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the finest examples of International Style industrial architecture anywhere in the world. Built between 1925 and 1931 as a coffee, tea, and tobacco processing plant, the Van Nelle Factory was revolutionary: vast curtain walls of glass, mushroom-shaped concrete columns, and a design that prioritised light, air, and the well-being of workers at a time when most factories were dark and oppressive.

The building is now a creative business hub with offices, studios, and event spaces. It is not a museum and there is no formal visitor programme, but the exterior is the main attraction — the glass facades, the elevated conveyor bridges connecting the buildings, and the rooftop lettering are all best appreciated from outside. Occasional open days and architecture tours offer interior access; check locally. Located in the Delfshaven area, about 3 km west of the centre. A pilgrimage for anyone interested in modernist architecture.

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A story
Le Corbusier called the Van Nelle Factory "the most beautiful spectacle of the modern age". In an era when factories were dark, airless, and dangerous, Van Nelle was designed around the health and productivity of its workers: a canteen, a sports field, medical facilities, and light flooding every workroom. The architects Brinkman and Van der Vlugt visited American factories and ignored them — they looked instead at what workers actually needed.

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