Civic Architects

Willem II Passage

WILLEM II PASSAGE

Civic Architects

Willem II Passage
© Stijn Bollaert

ARCHITECTS
Civic Architects

AREA
3500 m²

YEAR
2017

PHOTOGRAPHS
Stijn Bollaert, Pieter de Ruijter , Richard Boerop, Kees Hummel, Roderick van Klink

MANUFACTURERS
Storax, Lustlab, Van Tetterode

CONCEPT
Bright (Members of The Cloud Collective), CIVIC architects

PARTNERS
TheCloudCollective, Philips Lighting, Lustlab, Van Tetterode Glass Studio, WSP, Van de Ven Bouw & Ontwikkeling, Aannemerbedrijf G. Michielsen bv, Van de Bersselaar Constructie bv

DESIGN & ENGINEERING
Civic architects

CLIENT
Municipality of Tilburg (NL)

LOCATION
Tilburg, The Netherlands

IN COOPERATION WITH
Van Tetterode Glass Studio, Philips Lighting, Lustlab

CATEGORY
Urban Design

DESIGN TEAM
Ingrid van der Heijden, Gert Kwekkeboom, Jan Lebbink, Rick ten Doeschate, Gerjan Streng, Niels Boswinkel

Willem II Passage
© Stijn Bollaert

Text description provided by architect.

The Willem II-shopping arcade is a new public space which connects the inner city of Tilburg with De Spoorzone, a transformation area to the north. CIVIC Architects and Bright produced a design which unites architecture, public spaces, heritage and room for circulation. The Willem II-shopping arcade is a major public connection under the railway track running through a former NS Dutch Railways workshop complex.

The route, which is an extension of Willem II-street, is an inviting gateway to the previously inaccessible city area to the north of the railway track. The combination of the pull factor and use of the shopping arcade for cultural events acts as a catalyst for development of De Spoorzone. The Willem II-shopping arcade is dynamically lit and socially safe.

Willem II Passage
© Stijn Bollaert
Willem II Passage
© Roderick van Klink

Together with Van Tetterode Glass Studio and Philips Lighting a glass brick façade which combines strength with elegant sophistication was developed.

Approximately thirty thousand LED lights are integrated in the wall. LUSTlab created a unique algorithm for this application, which controls the LED lighting at pixel level: the light colour and intensity adapt to the time of day, weather conditions and the flow of pedestrian traffic.

Willem II Passage
© Pieter de Ruijter
Willem II Passage
© Richard Boerop

Committee statement: This project intelligently and attractively connects two separate neighbourhoods.

Willem II Passage
© Stijn Bollaert
Willem II Passage
© Stijn Bollaert

It is well frequented, people seem to feel at home in the newly created environment and both sides of the shopping arcade are attracting more and more businesses.

The architecture leaves a lasting impression and has been designed to look just as innovative and interesting in thirty years’ time as it does today; a form of sustainability which the committee appreciates.

Willem II Passage
© Richard Boerop
Willem II Passage
© Courtesy Of CIVIC Architects
Willem II Passage
© Courtesy of  CIVIC Architects


Willem II Passage
© Kees Hummel
Willem II Passage
© Kees Hummel
Willem II Passage
© Stijn Bollaert
Willem II Passage
© Stijn Bollaert
Willem II Passage
© Kees Hummel
Willem II Passage
© Stijn Bollaert


Willem II Passage
Plan And Section
Willem II Passage
Drawing Section


Willem II Passage
Concept Old vs New Facade
Willem II Passage
Location Plan


Willem II Passage
Concept Diagram Facades
Willem II Passage
Engineering Diagram
Willem II Passage
Concept Diagram Flow

Civic Architects
T +31 20 8460158
Civic Architects
Gebouw West, Donauweg 10, 1043 AJ Amsterdam, Netherlands