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.
| Architects | Fons Verheijen |
The plan ‘de Biezenhof’ is part of the new residential area ‘Waterrijk Woerden’ and is situated along a natural watery region. The urban scheme of ‘Waterrijk Woerden’ was designed by West 8 and refers to the traditional Dutch water cities such as Delft and Leiden. The design is made in collabiation with Klunder architects. Almost every dwelling is individual and has a specific connection to the water.
The plan of Biezenhof is divided in two parts: there is one block of family houses around a courtyard on the edge of the lake, and there is a row of water houses and apartments along a canal.
The buyers of the houses could choose between several types of houses as well as between four architects. Due to the possibilities in combining type and architect, not one house is the same. Every house has a singular character: the lake houses have a beautiful view on the lake, the street houses have a garden, and the canal houses enclose big terraces. In the public space there are a few parking places, the majority of parking places are organised in garages.
The houses designed by Knappers are characteristic because of the huge roof overhanging the façade. This contributes to the shelter-against-the water identity of the houses, and refers to the greenhouse glass constructions in the low lands. At the street side these houses are made of brick, which gives them a closed and open (to the light and the water) individuality.
The Wall in motion
The Wall shopping center in Leidsche Rijn, located next to the A2, which also serves as a noise barrier, changed hands in 2018. Together with the new owners, real estate investors / developers Built to Build and Urban Interest, we have investigated parts that have not been implemented or have been incompletely completed and measures that are additionally needed to optimize the letting of the building. Since then, they have been working with them on perfecting both the building and the public space to make the shopping center a success.
The first steps for the Wall 2.0 have now been taken.
Since December 2018, a new AMAC location has been opened in the end building. We have made a number of allotment proposals and prepared various units in the end building based on the layout agreed with AMAC. The interior design was provided by Apple itself. In addition to a retail space, this location includes an auditorium, training room, service desk and repair center and warehouse / storage space in The Wall.
A number of improvements / changes that were implemented in 2019 and 2020 are an extra rise point to make the parking roof accessible from the adjacent office building, and an extra retail space on the deck. The entrance on the south side of the building has been adapted, with a tapis roulant and extra escalators. And on the north side of the building, an extra entrance, rising point and a roof building will be realized.
In addition, the possibilities for sustainability are being investigated by installing solar panels on the parking deck, making the parking deck greener and redesigning the ground level.
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).
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.
