Calypso - Rotterdam, ZH, Netherlands
Posted by: 
Ariberna
N 51° 55.249 E 004° 28.330
31U E 601240 N 5753255
The Calypso building is located in the city centre of Rotterdam on the Westersingel canal.
Waymark Code: WM1AZXD
Location: Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Date Posted: 11/06/2024
Views: 6
"The Calypso was designed by English architect William Alsop and was completed in 2013. With its unusual shapes and red and orange colours, it is hard to miss.
It is 71 metres high with 22 floors and includes 407 apartments, offices, shops and a car park. The building contains 48 rental apartments, short-stay apartments and luxury apartments occupied by owners. All rental apartments have a luxurious interior design.
Calypso's Story
The Calypso residential building and the Pauluskerk (St. Paul's Church) are located on the site where the Rijnhotel, the former Calypso cinema and the first Pauluskerk were built after the Second World War (1950-1960). This area marked the border between the part of the city destroyed by bombing and the part of the city that remained intact.
The Calypso Theatre in Rotterdam opened its doors in the spring of 1969. Before being converted into a cinema, the building housed a youth centre and a gymnasium, which later became Hall 1 with 564 seats.
In 1975 and 1976, the cinema was expanded with two more screens. Room 2 had 313 seats and Room 3 had 81.
The Calypso was the first theatre in Rotterdam to feature Dolby Stereo sound and Philips' so-called windless projection system. The operator no longer had to change coils.
The Calypso Theatre was the first cinema to participate in the Rotterdam Film Festival founded in 1972. During the first year of the festival, the Calypso Theatre and 't Venster attracted more than 5,000 visitors. Since then, the festival has grown to become the largest film event in the Netherlands.
Calypso Tower Rotterdam
Calypso Tower Rotterdam
The Calypso Theatre was bought by the municipality of Rotterdam in 1999 and the building was rebuilt for all kinds of festivities around Rotterdam becoming the European Capital of Culture in 2001. From 2004 until its demolition in 2007, the Calypso was used as a leisure venue called Hyper Hyper. After the cinema closed and the Pauluskerk became a shelter for drug addicts and homeless people, demolition and new construction were the only options.
The Pauluskerk is part of the architecture of the complex. The church was built on its former site. It has a steel construction and is clad in copper. This makes the façade stand out from the rest of the complex. The bell from the old church has been returned to the façade.
It no longer offers overnight shelter to the homeless and drug addicts, although they are all welcome during the day for various activities. More information about the church can be found at this link ."
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