The Van Nelle Factory

The Van Nelle factory was built between the mid 1920s and the early 1930s to process coffee, tea and tobacco, and its designers hung the floors from a concrete frame so the outer walls could be almost entirely glass. The result is a long, curved, transparent block with glazed conveyor bridges running diagonally between the buildings, which is what most photographs of it show. The intention was industrial as much as aesthetic: light, air and clear sightlines for the people working inside. Production ended decades ago and the complex now holds offices, studios and event space, so the interiors are in use rather than preserved as a factory, and access to them is arranged rather than casual.

What you actually see

• The glass curtain wall - the continuous glazing that made the working floors bright.
• The conveyor bridges - enclosed diagonal links that carried goods between the buildings.
• The concrete frame - mushroom columns and hung floors, visible wherever interiors are open.
• The waterside frontage - the long elevation along the Schie, best seen from the far bank.

When to go

The exterior can be seen at any hour and photographs best in low winter light or at dusk, when the glass lights up from inside. Interior tours run on set days and sell out, so book well ahead. Weekdays mean an active office site with people coming and going, weekends are quieter but with fewer tours running.

Honest expectations

This is a working business park, not a museum, and arriving without a tour booking gets you a walk around the outside and a security barrier. There is no permanent exhibition. The surroundings are industrial and unremarkable, and the approach on foot from the city centre is long and dull.

Nearby

Delfshaven, the old harbour quarter with its historic waterfront, is a short ride away.