The spacious monumental entrance has been made more accessible and hospitable with the integration of the escalators. The main level of the building, more than five and a half metres above ground level, is thus pleasantly linked to the street. The natural stone stairs align nicely with the full width of the facade again. Because of the monumental context, extra attention has been paid to the design of the escalators: they follow the course of the natural stone staircase with two landings.

A special version, as this makes it the only landing escalator that has been used in the open air in the Netherlands. The materials and details used also closely match the existing architecture. The balustrade edges have a tanned brass coating, and lighting has subtly been integrated. “The renovated entrance with special escalators improves the accessibility and openness of the main entrance on the Coolsingel. It is an important step in the realisation of the master plan for WTC Rotterdam, the objective of which is to turn it into a sustainable, lively and diverse building complex,” Janneke Bierman explains. The master plan consists of more than 20 sub-plans, a number of which have already been completed. For example, the new hotel with 168 rooms has just been opened, the entrance hall, Business Centre, and De Koffiesalon have been created. A new internal connection between the parking garages and the entrance has also been realised, some of the facades have been renovated, and the Schippersbeurs rooms have been restored.