The FIZZ Cobana Rotterdam | Mix of studios, two-bedroom apartments and friends' homes

The FIZZ Cobana in Rotterdam's Katendrecht neighborhood is not only beautiful, the residential towers also offer innovative
opportunities for first-timers. Where Young Professionals fall between the cracks almost everywhere, The FIZZ Cobana has a mix of studios, two-bedroom apartments and Friends homes for this group. Here, young people can live comfortably and affordably in the city.

Residential complex The FIZZ Cobana contains 375 apartments, 40 parking spaces and a large bicycle storage facility. A commercial plinth is located on the first floor. On the fourth floor, both towers have a shared roof terrace with common areas, and on the second, third and fourth floors there are shared roof gardens. The sturdy harbor architecture refers to the history of the area.

Multiple parties

Heijmans was involved as a developer in the area development of Katendrecht. International Campus Netherlands introduced the community living housing concept for this area, including the Friends concept: shared spaces, combined with the comfort of a private home with kitchen and bathroom, suitable for couples, but also for friends. The spaces range from 38 to 70 square meters. Architectural firm Rijnboutt gave the building the look of a sturdy harbor building. Eventually IC Netherlands and Heijmans realized the Young Professional residential complex. 

All-round

"IC Netherlands is an investor, developer and manager of housing for the millennial generation," says George Vogel, project developer of IC Netherlands. "That started with student housing in major college towns, automatically followed by housing for Young Professionals; young people who need to start their housing careers. In these projects we are involved from the first initiative to the moment of completion. We formulate the program appropriate to the location and target group, the Program of Requirements, arrange the building application in many cases, investigate the most efficient construction method and installations and take care of the final realization."

Target group mapping

"To develop the concept, we first identified the target group," says Moreno Monsanto, director of IC Services at IC Netherlands. "What do Young Professionals want? They want comfort, a convenient location to urban amenities and a price at which they can live an independent life. This unified set of requirements led us to the idea of community-living at this location, building for people in the same stage of life. The combination of shared facilities and a comfortable private area kept rents in line with the market."

Maximum prefabrication manufacturing

After completing the permitting process, The Fizz Cobana was completed within two years. "That's fast for a building of this size," Vogel knows. "IC Netherlands and Heijmans had the entire shell prefabricated. Most of the construction time was in the finishing process and the facade brickwork. Moreover, the homes were delivered ready to live in. That is unique." "Cobana fits into the skyline of Rotterdam," concludes Vogel. "I think this is the most beautiful building in IC Netherlands' portfolio. And we are responding to a need. We are currently transforming a national monument on the Westzeedijk in Rotterdam into 184 homes for Young Professionals."