Commissioned by Bouwfonds REIM, VVKH has made a design for a distinguishable new shoppingbuilding. The new building is facing a main road entering Utrecht and acts as a showcase for the home and living stores in the streets behind. The plan consists of the demolition of an outdated officebuilding and construction of the new building with several shops showing a transparant facade towards the Europalaan.
| Architects | Gerrit-Jan van Rijswijk |
| Employees | Thomas Gillet |
Next to the highway A2 near the centre of Utrecht a spectacular large scale shopping and leisure centre has been realised. The 800 meter long “Ferrari red” complex acts as a noise barrier to the new residential area of Leidsche Rijn. The fluent design of slowly undulating lines is inspired by the perspective of the driver passing the complex in 32 seconds, driving at a speed of 100 km/hour. The fluent lines create an illusion of movement. This building, having a surface area of approx. 65,000m2, houses many retail businesses, a high-quality DIY store, a catering business (fast-food restaurant) and leisure facilities (discotheque, sports or multi-purpose hall). On the roof is a 1400 spaces large car park. The building together with the ‘Cockpitgebouw’ at the Wetering Noord area, designed by the architect Kas Oosterhuis, are the showpiece of the city of Utrecht.
For the large-scale shopping and business center De Herven, dating from 1979, there was a threat of emptying out and impoverishment, including through screaming facade advertising. A redevelopment plan was implemented in 2003 to reverse this negative spiral. With important but relatively simple interventions, such as a uniform facade layout and advertising to be conducted according to fixed rules, as well as a generous continuous and cantilevered awning of 13 meters, a high-quality and pleasant residential area has again been created. The immediate surroundings, the walking area and the parking lot, have also been redesigned and constructed.
The retail park "De Centrale" takes its name from the power plant (PEB) that was located at this location. With the exception of one Nuon building, everything has been demolished and the location is gradually being transformed into shops. The current retail floor area is over 30.000 m2. This makes De Centrale the regional shopping center of Friesland. The planned expansion of 15.000 m² will further strengthen this regional position. The design has a recognizable shape and brings cohesion between the different buildings, a clear public space and a clear entrance. The advertising is an integral part of the design. In anticipation of this expansion, a new KFC branch has been designed and built on the site (2017).
Cruquius Plaza, near Hoofddorp, municipality of Haarlemmermeer is the result of a competition that was organized in 1999 on behalf of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer to boost shopping in Cruquius. The competition was won by ING Vastgoed and VVKH. The existing residential boulevard has been completely renovated and adapted to the requirements of today. In addition, 30,000 m2 of retail space and 25,000 m2 of industrial space have been added. A flexible building, particularly with regard to the shops, and a water feature with a square at the shop entrances have been realized at the location. The cantilevered awning offers provides shelter for a pleasant shopping climate. The supply takes place from two expedition entrances on the company side. Via the internally located expedition corridors on the ground floor and first floor, the shops can be supplied freely from the shoppers. The 30-meter-high Cruquius Tower, the luminous center of the square, is a clear landmark of the residential boulevard.
