Sofie Rosenberg
Heritage and Architecture
Schalkwijk: a revitalised neighbourhood: The re-design of a Dutch shopping mall from the sixties
The shopping mall used to have a social function within a neighbourhood, where people could not only do their shopping but also meet. Due to the rise of online shopping, many shopping malls are facing vacancy problems. This project tries to bring back that social function. The mall in Schalkwijk (Haarlem) has a lot of closed traffic space, paved outdoor areas and empty spaces. To revitalize the social function, the re-design focuses on a mix of functions with dwellings, offices, shops and green spaces. The connecting element in the project is the passage, which is repurposed from a closed traffic space to an open place to stay. An important factor in the design is the implementation of green to reduce the UHI effect and increase human comfort. To conclude, this re-design is an attempt to value and improve what is already there, making it ready for the future.