Located in the centre of Rotterdam, De Boogjes (The Arches) was designed by Pietro Hammel in 1979.
The complex comprises four blocks with ground floor shops and three floors of apartments above, with Hotel Emma occupying the corner block. The typical ground-floor arcades set the shops deeply back from the street. This arrangement failed to work not long after the complex opened and even encouraged petty crime. The low arcades with numerous, unnecessarily wide columns created a feeling of unease among shoppers.
A bold solution was devised to address this problem in response to a commission from De Boogjes’ association of owners. The arcades were demolished and new shop fronts, along with the sidewalk were repositioned two-and-a-half metres closer to the road, resulting in improved retail window frontage.
The shops are now articulated with a canopy that turns up at the corners of the complex like bookends. This shared frame unites the four blocks so they appear as one coherent building.
The bookends feature changing poems, managed by Poetry International Rotterdam, written in white letters behind glass.
Contrasting materials characterise the design. The existing complex is built entirely from masonry, concrete ornaments and wooden window frames.
The underside of the canopy is clad in plain, perforated aluminium panels. Various amorphous-shaped openings along the cover bring extra daylight and create views. Shop names are incorporated into the translucent illuminated glass front of the canopy.