On the east side of Enschedé, on the outskirts of the city center lies the Miro shopping centre. The former mall has gradually been replaced by new buildings and was worn out. The new building has a curved façade and a large canopy. It embraces the public space and the high-quality parking facility. The shopping facade ends on the east side in a shopping arcade, which contains a large supermarket. On the west side the arcade accumulates into a two storey development. Together with public buildings on the other side of the road the building forms a port that marks the transition from the green suburban neighbourhood to the city itself. The complex includes a green roof that connects on the east end to an ecological zone for butterflies and bats.
| Architects | Gerrit-Jan van Rijswijk |
The “Meerwijk” district in Schalkwijk, built in the 1960s, has been built on the corner of Bernadottelaan and Albert Schweizerlaan. This center is part of the urban design that was made by our office in 2001. The building with retail spaces, including the Vomar supermarket, an underground parking garage with 215 places and 74 apartments, is one of the sub-plans of the community center. The whole has a modern, transparent and friendly character and adapts well to the neighborhood.
VVKH, commissioned by Hoorne Vastgoed, developed the development vision for housing on top of the existing shopping center in the center of Castricum. The inward-looking shopping center, dating from the 1970s, is a single-story development with parking at ground level surrounding it. The shops are supplied from the outside, resulting in many unattractive rear entrances. There is little connection with the residential areas that have grown up around the shopping center. By adding housing to the plan, the development will reconnect with the surrounding area. Some of the housing will be positioned above the shops, and some will have front doors facing the street. These new frontages will enhance public safety, while the logistics will disappear from view. The shopping center will be clearly visible with a new entrance to Soomerwegh, the access road to the village. A new square will be added here, creating a pleasant atmosphere. By designing the entrance areas of the shopping center as new squares, the connection with the surrounding area will be strengthened. Geesterduin's stony surroundings will become greener. The plan will be nature-inclusive, providing space for flora and fauna through the addition of roof gardens, vertical greenery, and green landscaping in the squares. The entire plan will be made sustainable, with the preservation of the existing shopping center as a starting point.
A former Mercedes showroom is rebuild to become the regional ambulance station. From here thirteen ambulances are ready to tear out in an emergency. On top of the existing showroom an new building with offices and a hightech trainingcenter is oriented at the a busy railwayline. The new part is a sturdy building with overhanging balconies which provides shade in summer and window cleaning. In the front facade, at the Vondellaan, a small ambulance museum is created.
In 2003 a sturdy looking fire station was yielded. The building is located at the entrance of Amstelveen form highway A9 and shows the firetrucks ready for duty. The technical building on top of the rough base is used for offices, sleepingquarters and a gym. VVKH also designede the bridges crossing the water towards the building.
