The present graduation project entails the heritage re-design of a shopping center, specifically Winkelcentrum Leyweg in the Hague Southwest. The project aims to investigate a potential sustainable future for the shopping center that would be mainly based on one of its heritage aspects. This aspect was the spatial coherence with its urban context; hence the re-design focused on creating a system of spatial relations, legible and translatable to different scales, in such a way that the shopping mall could accommodate a change of function and yet maintain its consistency with the surrounding area. For that purpose, research was conducted, following the ‘research by design’ methodology and the space syntax method, also combined with observations in order to explain functional aspects, as the people’s movement and use of space. Subsequently, a method was developed to assess and test the spatial impact of previous and potential re-design interventions and a framework was composed to assist in the re-design of the shopping center. This framework focused on the spatial aspects of the mall’s urban identity that influence the continuity with the urban fabric. Attention was also given to the shopping center’s role as the heart of the district it refers to, its spatial significance, and its social function.

The present essay examines the influence of authenticity’s notion on
Industrial Heritage Reuse practices in Europe from the 1970’s onwards. This
consideration formed the motive of the carried-out analysis. Initially,
authenticity’s theoretical framework is being interpreted through its latent
relation to intangible heritage. Subsequently, later-established institutional
principles and guidelines regarding authenticity are explored from the same
perspective; demonstrating the gradual transition towards the consideration
of cultural diversity and intangible values and, also, towards the recognition of
industrial heritage’s significance and potential. Lastly, the spatial expression of
authenticity’s concept is analyzed with regard to industrial heritage reuse tactics
and classified into five categories, attesting to a clear connection between the
two variables.