# Mass-Timber Residential Building Designs Powerhouse Company Has Designed Valckensteyn By Kalin Ned | Published 2026-08-02 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/powerhouse-company References: [powerhouse-company](http://www.powerhouse-company.com/valckensteyn)  [Powerhouse Company's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/torre-vases) Valckensteyn project figures as Rotterdam's first mass-timber residential building. This concept provides 82 affordable rental homes in the Pendrecht neighborhood for housing corporation Woonstad Rotterdam, with the 20-story structure reinterpreting the former Valckensteyn building that shaped the area from 1971 to 2012 through an innovative timber construction approach. Powerhouse Company constructed the Valckensteyn building using prefabricated [cross-laminated timber elements](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/843-n-spring-street), with the main structure made entirely from cross-laminated timber except for the ground floor and elevator and stair cores. Timber surfaces remain exposed where they can be protected. Durable, demountable fiber-cement panels are used where greater resilience is required to support efficient maintenance and potential future reuse. A travertine-clad base at ground level recalls materials commonly used in postwar architecture, creating a subtle link to the history and architectural identity of Pendrecht, while each home includes a west-facing balcony nearly two meters deep. A park-like garden designed by LAP Landscape and Urban [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/turntable-1) surrounds the building. Image Credit: Sebastian van Damme ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.8/10 - Popularity: 38% | Activity: 19% | Freshness: 88% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Mass-timber Housing:** Urban residential projects using cross-laminated timber signal a shift toward lower-carbon construction models that can scale affordable housing without relying on conventional concrete-heavy systems. - **Prefabricated High-rises:** Factory-made structural elements introduce faster, more predictable building processes that may reshape how dense housing is delivered in cities with cost and labor constraints. - **Demountable Building Materials:** Reusable facade and structural components create new potential for circular real estate models where buildings retain value through adaptability, maintenance efficiency, and future material recovery. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Residential Real Estate:** Affordable rental developments are increasingly positioned to combine sustainability, density, and resident amenity, creating differentiation in markets facing housing shortages. - **Construction Materials:** Cross-laminated timber, fiber-cement panels, and hybrid facade systems reflect growing demand for durable products that support carbon reduction and lifecycle reuse. - **Architecture and Design:** Contemporary building practices are blending historical context with engineered timber innovation, opening space for design firms to redefine the identity of urban renewal projects. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Mass Timber Housing Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mass-timber1.md) - [Triangular Concrete Houses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kwk-promes-1.md) - [Self-Built Residences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-peckham-house.md) - [Wood-Framed Housing Blocks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/common-woods.md) - [Timber Courtyard Houses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/light-house-2.md) - [Lobby Timber Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hotel-park-ave.md) - [Valley-Sited Home Extensions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/piv-architekti.md) - [Coastal Resilience-Focused Residential Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coastal-resilience.md)