Shopperhal

In 2021, we developed a plan for the Shopperhal in Amsterdam Zuidoost. The goal: to create a central place where everyone feels welcome. A market hall that not only connects but also contributes to the city and its residents.

The area Amsterdam-Zuidoost (Southeast) is a vibrant melting pot of cultures and lifestyles. However, the zone around the Amsterdamse Poort is highly segregated spatially: shopping streets, residential streets, and office streets exist side by side without a real connection. Green spaces are also fragmented, and there’s no logical cycle route through the Poort and nearby streets. With our plan, the Shopperhal will become a link between living, working, shopping, and socializing.

Researching the area

Prior to the design, we conducted extensive research in the neighborhood. We observed how residents and visitors used the hall and the square: they would gather on sunny days for ice cream, music, and contact. Conversations and observations revealed how important the hall is for connecting different cultures. Unlike many other places in Amsterdam, there’s actually a lot of interaction – in our opinion, entirely in keeping with Zuidoost standards: unsolicited and intrusive, but always out of love.

People clearly expressed what they consider important for the future of the Shopperhal. A good indoor climate in the stalls, with good lighting and a fresh, sleeker look. Furthermore, entrepreneurs prefer deep stalls rather than wide ones, as this offers a better view of visitors. A clear layout prevents aisles from becoming invisible, as is sometimes the case now. And because food is a key component of the market, good ventilation at the food stalls is essential to prevent the entire hall from smelling of food. A clear routing through and outside the building would also be appreciated. One that provides an overview and limits the number of entrances. As for the entrances, it would be nice to have a striking entrance that remains small-scale and distinctive.

Architecture with character

We didn’t want a massive superblock. We opted for an open structure with distribution of plots with building blocks, streets and courtyards. Every part would get prominent accents or orientational points. The hall will serve as the connection between the new building and the existing building.

The shopping hall itself will receive two new facades. Both play a significant role in the design – but are entirely different in terms of the task. A key challenge was connecting the Shopperhal with Klein Bijlmerplein, with the west facade. The single-story structure, as it currently stands, barely creates a connection with the square. Plus, there is not much light coming in the building from this side. We wanted to remove four homes above the entrance to add some extra height. The remaining homes will be preserved and given a new entrance, as part of the new façade. The design of the facade was inspired by African and Caribbean patterns.

On the other side, between the robust stone-like and orthogonal facades in the residential area, we introduce a highly transparent facade with curved columns. The contrast of the east façade gives the Shopperhal’s façade the distinctive character it deserves. Just like on the west facade, we incorporated the multiple, rhythmic division of the facade surfaces. To create an inviting and gradual transition from outside to inside, we extended the roof slightly and supported it with columns that branch out in two directions in an arc.

Inside and outside

When going further inside, the hall features a wooden structure: sustainable, warm, and rooted in Surinamese tradition. The roofscape with arches at a height of 3.6 meters creates rhythm and a human scale. By making a grand staircase we provide an extra recreational area. The parking garage on the lower level will have with transparent walls, so this space also becomes part of the experience.

On top of the Shopperhal, the roof becomes a green water buffer in the form of terraces reminiscent of rice paddies. The vegetation changes with the seasons, providing biodiversity and cooling. Greenery is also integrated indoors, through plant walls and courtyards. We opted for a circularly building: wood wherever possible, sustainable concrete where necessary, and with demountable windows, doors, and stalls. The indoor climate will be designed intelligently and energy-efficiently, maximizing sunlight, natural drafts, and passive measures.

The plan for the Shopperhal was presented in 2021. Unfortunately, our design was ultimately not implemented. We hope that this design will inspire other developers and clients to design retail or marketplaces as meeting places.