Van Nelle factory

In the 1920s, Cees van der Leeuw, co-owner of the Van Nelle company, commissioned the construction of a modern production facility in Rotterdam. The business had begun in the 1780s as a shop selling coffee, tea, and tobacco, later evolving into an innovative firm known for its creative packaging featuring mascots Piggelmee and Tureluur. In 1916, they purchased land near the Schie waterway, and in 1925 construction began under architect Van der Vlugt and engineer Wiebenga. The result was a masterpiece of modern industrial architecture. The Sonneveld House, built for a company executive, also emerged from this period. Though the factory closed in 1996, it was later restored and declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015. It remains a landmark of Dutch design and industry.