A new identity for the “Gelderlandplein” shopping centre

Gelderlandplein is a shopping mall in the south of Amsterdam. The originally locally designed shopping centre dates from the post-war period and was to be converted into a crowd puller of international standing. After the renovation, 7,000 square metres of newly created space will also accommodate flats, offices and a hotel. Architecture and functionality have been perfectly harmonised – a contribution to this is made in the entrance area by the 3-zone cleaning system from emcobau.

In order to achieve the goal of turning a post-war building into a centre of attraction in the Dutch metropolis, the attractiveness of the offer and the architecture had to be increased. The operator, the Kroonenberg Group, commissioned the Amsterdam architectural firm Rijnboutt with this challenge – which it mastered with flying colours. The result: a shopping centre with its own style.

“Gelderlandplein” was built in 1968 with approximately 20,000 m2 and renovated for the first time in 1997. The mall was very well received from the beginning, not least because of the exclusive shops that were and are located in the centre in addition to well-known brands. Due to the constantly growing attraction, an enlargement became necessary.

4-star hotel for luxury and comfort

The mall’s offer captivates with quality, luxury and comfort: high-quality gastronomy and a modern hotel ensure lively activity even after closing time – during the day, visitors benefit from a mixture of offers for daily needs, luxury goods and other varied shopping opportunities that invite to window shopping. A special highlight is the newly built 4-star hotel. An office building has been transformed into a generously designed temporary home with 160 studios and suites, fitness room, restaurant and terrace. Conceived with a focus on sustainability and design, it is the 22nd element boutique hotel of the Starwood Group, which is consistently oriented towards environmental protection with “element”.

“By designing the entrance with emco entrance mats, we have created an inviting and functionally well thought-out entrance situation for the newly designed shopping centre.”

Paul Beijeman,
Project manager internal

Convincing in design and function

The main entrance in particular has been given a new, very inviting look. The majestic canopy filters the sunlight with square cut-outs. A slightly shiny concrete stone was chosen for the paving, which is very durable even with high frequency.

The frequency has increased accordingly since the expansion of the mall. Consequently, individual and high-performance emco entrance mats were installed to accommodate the large number of visitors. The 3-zone cleaning system used combines different mats in a sensible system that absorbs coarse dirt, fine dirt and moisture. But not only do they fit perfectly into the modern shopping centre in terms of function, the high quality and appearance also underline the architectural claim of the building.