Life between stores

Abstract

Post-war shopping malls in the Netherlands are becoming increasingly vacant, which is reflected in the level of activity of the public spaces. These retail-oriented places are becoming less visited as the main reason to come here disappears. This presents a challenge in a compact and densely populated country with a high space demand. With the twelve urban quality criteria of Jan Gehl, a user-based design strategy for Winkelcentrum Leyweg in The Hague Southwest has been developed. The use of spaces determines the level of activity, as the people bring life to these areas. Therefore, this design focuses mainly on the people by introducing elements that make their daily lives more comfortable and enjoyable. A simple bench with trees functioning as canopies can already do the trick. In a building, it is about giving people the freedom to use the spaces they want; places to work, drink a coffee, have a workshop, study, or have the freedom to do what they want. When these buildings are occupied in various ways during the day, more people will be connected to the building, and even a small community can exist here. The increased activity in and around the building will contribute to the overall sense of security. By the use of the building, people will start to care for it and eventually maintain it, providing a more sustainable future. The architect's role is to shape the spaces by introducing qualities that enhance comfort and enjoyment. This can be the increase of daylight, a comfortable climate, moveable furniture, relation between inside and out, good acoustic levels and the opportunities to open or close spaces. Instead of shopping malls being intended for retail alone, these places can be a part of the city. This strategy can be applied to other vacant malls in the Netherlands, reactivating them and providing a more promising and sustainable future.