The Rijneke Boulevard in Zoeterwoude is a busy shopping area with a dated appearance. The complex has its back to the Rijn. We have developed a vision to renovate and expand the boulevard in stages. The Rijn is also more involved in the shopping area by creating harbors.
The first phase starts on the west side of the complex. In this phase, the first building has already been renovated (completed in 2016) and the expansion of 6,000 m2 of retail space started in January 2018. The shopping area is organized around the old harbor of the Heineken factory, where the hops used to be unloaded.
| Architects | Gerrit-Jan van Rijswijk |
| Employees | Hans Schepman |
| Client(s) | Niersman-Marington |
Alexandrium is made of 35.000m² megastores and 65.000m² home and living mall. The assignment was approved after winning the architectural competition and was build in two fases. Important aspect for winning te competition was the incorporation of the existing polderhuis, which seems to be placed in a window of the new mall.
Urban development and architectural integration “Vomar” location, corner of Abraham van Rooijenstraat and Maarten Kruijtstraat in Noordwijk
From an urban planning point of view, the contours and height of the building plan were determined by the municipality of Noordwijk. The plan clearly defines the streets Abraham van Rooijenstraat and Maarten Kruijtstraat, in line with the existing street profiles. Gasthuissteeg will also have a clear boundary with this building plan.
The main mass has an intermediate scale between two worlds present in the environment. On the one hand, there is the smaller-scale village development of the Hoofdstraat and on the other hand, the large-scale hotel development. The mass of the new building block to be built is 3 storeys high plus a roof storey. It is articulated into a number of volumes, softening the scale of the building block. These volumes are made independent by different colors of masonry and roof finishes. With a play of rhythm between balconies, windows, tires, roof moldings and a green-copper-colored roof, the building blends in well with the seaside resort architecture of the environment. The mass on the Gasthuissteeg is 2 storeys high. It has a green facade with window openings. On the north side of the plan, the existing firebreak will be closed and the buildings will close directly on the adjacent plot.
The plan is mainly sustainable because of the triple land use. The building block has an underground floor, on top of that a storey layer, above that a parking deck for the houses and 42 houses.
Abraham van Rooijenstraat is an important access road. That is why functions such as the entrance to the underground parking garage, the entrance to the parking deck on the 1st floor in front of the houses, and the entrance to the expedition have been made here. The Kruisstraat will become more traffic-calmed. This will be the world of shopping as it is at the Hoofdstraat. This is where the shopping functions will be located, which are accessed via two clear entrances at the corners. These entrances are clearly visible from the Hoofdstraat and from the Grent.
The entrance to the houses is on the north side. This will give the existing loading and unloading yard, where other residential accesses are located, a quality impulse. The gallery facade, which is hardly visible from the public space, is conceived as a veranda world. It's a light world of painted wood.
In cooperation with Smits bouwbedrijf, VVKH has won the european tender to develop a new housingarea in district Dieperhout in Leiden. The project consists of 48 dwellings, 12 apartments and a care facility of 1500m². Start of the constructionwork is planned in may 2015, because thats when a current school will move to a new building and the site will be available.
Woonboulevard Voorsterpoort in Zwolle is a well-running residential boulevard near the exit of the A28 motorway. Market research shows that there is room for expansion with more than 30,000 m² GFA for large-scale retail. Plots are available for expansion behind the existing boulevard. In our vision, the expansion will be realized around an oval square with parking at ground level. All shops are visible from anywhere on the square. Landmarks will be realized at the ends. The extension will be connected to the existing boulevard through a gate. The existing boulevard will be renovated, so that the shopping center will eventually again present itself as a cohesive complex. The plan can be realized in phases.
