In the bustling centre of the city of Groningen, right on its most important square, the Grote Markt, De Zwarte Hond has transformed the old V&D department store into the Groot Handelshuis on behalf of real estate developer MWPO. After V&D went bankrupt in 2016, the huge, modernist department store from 1958 could no longer find a tenant in its existing state.
In the new design, the introverted, closed character of the building has been broken up by dividing the volume into two and positioning windows in the façade. These interventions promote the accessibility of the building and ensure a healthy working environment. The lobby is located in the vacant space between the two building volumes, a large atrium that reaches up to the fifth floor and through which daylight pours into the heart of the building. The lobby is accessible from the square thanks to a new monumental central staircase in marble.
The new design also builds on the existing structure. The supporting skeleton and the former, rhythmic grid of the façade layout have been retained. The mosaic by Louis van Roode also retains its prominent place in the façade, and its signature pattern can be found on the new façade panels. Window frames that match the character of the 1950s in profile and colour give a final nod to the history of the building. Diversity is central to the building’s programme. A supermarket is located on the first floor and the four floors above are used as dynamic, flexible workplaces. There is a large bicycle storage facility in the basement. The space is now ready to welcome a range of companies, a supermarket, flex workers and visitors to the Grote Markt.
