The Stadskamer is the new beating heart of Utrecht’s shopping mall Hoog Catharijne. The history of the town Utrecht is strongly connected to and with water: these were the trade routes through the canals in the past days. In the Stadskamer spaces, one can see history coming to life by the boats that will sail underneath the water islands, because they are connected to the outside canal. In addition to the architectural designs of STIR Architecture, we designed the complete interior and upgraded the dynamics of the water islands.

We provided the shopping promenade with inviting benches that have rounded corners. The folding canopies for the inner wall function as a decorative element when closed and have lit-up LED strips when closed. The square with restaurants and cafes is accessible from all sides and surrounded with terraces. Even when the stores are closed, it is still a lively square. The 15-meter-high, transparent interior space succeeds in integrating indoors and outdoors. The space connects two parts of the shopping centre. By using a glass roof, large glass windows and three water islands, the city presents itself to the visitors.