South Tower

KPN office building in Rotterdam

The South Tower (Toren op zuid) is also known as the KPN building, as it serves as the regional headquarters for the Dutch telecom company KPN. The tower is located at the foot of the Erasmus Bridge on the South bank of the river Maas, where most modern architecture in Rotterdam can be found. The building was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano who also designed the Centre Georges Pompidou located in Paris.

The leaning tower of Pisa? Wrong, the one of Rotterdam!

The modern South Tower fits perfectly with the skyline of Rotterdam and is often depicted on postcards together with the Erasmus Bridge and the New Luxor Theatre. The building is a real eye catcher as it is leaning. The tilt of 6 degrees is actually more than the leaning tower of Pisa in Italy (5 degrees), but in Rotterdam this angle was designed on purpose and not by an inadequate foundation. The front of the building is supported by a 50 m. steel pole to ensure that the building remains in balance.

Green illuminated animation

The most striking feature of the South Tower in Rotterdam is the front that is used as an enormous billboard with a size of 90 by 40 meters. By means of nearly 900 green lights, all kinds of artistic animations can be displayed on the face of the KPN building. The images are often adapted to the seasons or events in Rotterdam. For example, a huge a Christmas tree animation is shown during the holidays season.