Dutch practice orange architects has given an old telecommunications building a new lease on life by transforming the Rotterdam property into a solar-powered apartment complex. Completed in 2019, the PTT Binnenrotte adaptive reuse project not only preserves and emphasizes the structure’s industrial character but also forges new connections with the surrounding community in an area long considered a “blind spot.” In addition to rooftop solar panels, the energy-efficient project is outfitted with solar hot water heaters, a residual heat system, LED lights and efficient mechanical ventilation with a heat-recovery system. Constructed in 1951 close to the spot where Rotterdam was founded, the former PTT building had sat vacant for over a decade before its recent transformation.