Render of The Sax showing the full massing of the Havana and Philadelphia towers connected by the golden beam at 100 metres, set against the Rijnhaven waterfront and the Wilhelminapier skyline © MVRDV
Curated by ArchiRev Editorial | Feature Story | Published May 26th, 2026 | Source: MVRDV
Typologies: Retail, Residential, Bar-Restaurant, Sports
Themes: Architecture, Housing, Mixed Use
Status: On Site
Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Year: 2017–
Surface: 96,000 m²
Client: BPD | Bouwfonds Gebiedsontwikkeling & Synchroon
Sax Rotterdam, created by architects of MVRDV, is a 96,000 square meter mixed residential complex that is currently under construction in Rijnhaven, Rotterdam, on the waterside called Wilhelminapier, which is one of the most architecturally active watersides in the Netherlands. Two towers linked by a golden beam at 100 meters height receive their names straight from the shape of the saxophone from which they take their inspiration.
The 180-meter, 55-story high tower is named Havana while the 26-story high, 82-meter tower standing next to it is named Philadelphia. With their silvery wavy facade and their jazz-like architecture, they will round off the iconic buildings of Wilhelminapier, providing 916 apartments for a city that needs them badly.
Façade elevation detail showing the progressive deepening of balconies and bay windows from the transparent plinth level to the undulating upper floors of the Havana tower © MVRDV
Rotterdam is a city known for having faith in its architecture. Wilhelminapier brings some of Rotterdam’s best-known high-rise structures to a limited space within the port. In this setting, the Sax does not come as a competitor based on height only because the Havana, standing 180 meters tall, is already the tallest structure on the pier; however, it brings something that no other structure in the same location has to offer yet, which is a formal distinction and a societal program.
The undulating façade of the building becomes quite noticeable right away. The silver-colored metallic façade is flat at ground level to allow room for planting new trees on Antoine Platekade Street and to ensure a calm and open plinth reaching nine meters at the corners of the building. The balconies become gradually deeper as one moves up, and bay windows are introduced as well, providing the residents of this area with increased access to outdoors and better views from above. Starting from the level of the golden beam, the balconies of the higher Havana tower begin to move and undulate, producing a swinging effect and varying their sizes.
Close-up render of the golden beam connecting the two towers at 100 metres, showing the structural expression, residential units within the beam, and the rooftop terrace © MVRDV
The exterior surface that is made up of the metal skin does not stay constant in its look. The different positions of the balcony surfaces as the position of light changes throughout the day give a new dimension to the building.
In describing this aspect, Jacob van Rijs, founding partner of MVRDV, says, “The varying angles will allow the light to fall differently on the metal facade, so the building will change color depending on the time of day.” The slow progression from down to up makes the sax, regardless of its gigantic size, strong and yet vulnerable—as someone who can play the sax either hard or softly.”
Sax is the biggest residential structure at Wilhelminapier and provides the most amount of housing at the pier location. Out of the 916 flats, 822 flats are rentals and 94 are owned by the owners, and there exists a variety of types of housing options available in both towers. It is important to note that exactly half of the total units, which equals 458 units, are affordable rentals, which helps cater to the dire need of middle-class housing facilities in Rotterdam’s city center.
— Apartment typology diagram showing the distribution of rental, owner-occupied, and affordable units across the Havana and Philadelphia towers © MVRDV
The structure is designed as a vertical neighborhood rather than just another building with housing units. Communal facilities range across various levels, starting with common living rooms on each residential floor and ending with the roof terrace located on top of the golden beam, providing a view of the whole Rijnhaven port area and open to all inhabitants. The clear glass nine-meter-high podium creates a vibrant base for the towers with 1,200 square meters of retail spaces, including restaurants, shops, and sport facilities not only for the building but also for the local area.
Floor plan showing the transparent plinth program—commercial units, sports facilities, restaurant and retail frontage, and the mobility center entrance. © MVRDV
There is much importance placed on sustainable and collective mobility through the design of the Sax. The building is located right next to the tram and metro stations of Wilhelminaplein, thereby allowing the inhabitants access to the rest of the city without needing to use their own car. Inside the podium level, there is an integrated space for collective mobility in which 1,800 bicycles can be accommodated in order to cater to the needs of the building as well as the cycling culture of Rotterdam.
An axonometric diagram of the collective mobility centre showing the bicycle parking layout, automated car parking system, and their relationship to the building’s ground floor and plinth circulation. © MVRDV
Section diagram showing the full vertical programme from plinth to Sky Villas © MVRDV
