Meerstad is an urban extension location on the eastern flank of Groningen. Over a period of several decades, approximately 5,000 homes will be gradually built around the newly constructed Woldmeer lake. The development of Meerstad is taking place in small steps, with the result that a social and programmatic heart is lacking. The ‘SuperHub’ is designed to fix this.
Local
Netherlands
Province of Groningen - City of Groningen - Meerstad
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
Yes
2022-11-01
As an individual
First name: Erik Last name: Roerdink Gender: Male Nationality: Netherlands If relevant, please select your other nationality: Netherlands Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Hoge der A 11 Town: Groningen Postal code: 9712AC Country: Netherlands Direct Tel:+31 (0) 50 313 40 05 E-mail:Roerdink@dezwartehond.nl Website:https://dezwartehond.nl/en/projects/paviljoen-supermarkt-meerstad/
SuperHub represents a revitalised, circular version of the traditional market hall design, inspired by the mission to better connect the burgeoning district of Meerstad, Groningen and transform it into an interactive social space. With the neighbourhood’s future expansion in mind, Meerstad needed a sustainable and inviting community centre, to serve as a place for residents to shop, meet, eat, and more.
The building is expansive and transparent, with a supporting structure made entirely of cross-shaped laminated wooden columns and beams. Additionally, the cleverly designed cross forms provide the building with stability, so no additional infrastructure is required to withstand the vibrations of Groningen earthquakes. The large span and nine-metre ceiling height create a luminous space and offer the opportunity for flexible layout and usage adaptations in the future. The large canopy provides sun protection and pulls the structure into its green surroundings. The use of wood also ensures a positive climate impact, and the roof of SuperHub has been reserved for the placement of solar panels and plants for bees and insects. The built-in air treatment installation as well as the heat and cold ground storage ensure an optimal and energy-efficient indoor climate.
The impressive spatial qualities of the structure are essential to fulfil its purpose as an attractive and multifunctional community centre, thereby contributing to the social sustainability of the Meerstad neighbourhood. Additionally, the structure was built to last, and its flexible, open layout allows for its functions to be reinvented along with the changing needs of the community. It will never become outdated or be demolished in the future. In this way, SuperHub manifests itself as a future-proof community centre that will grow along with the development of Meerstad, and therewith also as an example for the further development of functional, aesthetic, and sustainable social hubs.
Circular but also eternal
Bio-based building
Adaptive building
Meeting place in the neighbourhood
More than a supermarket
The sustainability ambitions for SuperHub Meerstad were determined using GPR, which provides insight into the sustainability performance of the building. To make the building energy-neutral, it will include PV panels and greenery on the roof for bees and insects. An advanced air treatment system and heat/cold storage ensure an energy-efficient indoor climate. Because the building has a lot of glass, we simulated how the sun enters. With louvres, we reduced the solar load. SuperHub is designed so that the building can absorb the shaking of Groningen earthquakes. In addition, the building can flexibly accommodate different functions and activities, such as community gatherings.
In terms of material use, wood is obviously a good choice: its production requires less energy than concrete and steel and it stores CO2. Another strong point is that the building can be dismantled and rebuilt elsewhere. All these aspects make this project an example in terms of sustainability, bio-based materials, flexibility of use and earthquake-resistant construction.
The design is a circular rendition of classic, large, transparent market halls and features an all-wood support structure. The cruciform wooden columns and beams in the roof create a cathedral-like appearance. The large span and a ceiling height of nine metres create a light and spacious effect. Iconic is the large canopy of more than five metres that functions as an awning and reaches out to the green surroundings with its elegant columns and net-shaped wooden trusses. In addition, the cross shapes provide stability, eliminating the need for additional wind bracing. The use of wood also ensures a positive climate impact.
Return to the market hall and encourage meeting in an increasingly unified society.
The trend in grocery shopping is that this activity is becoming an increasingly unified activity. For example, there used to be the market, the neighbourhood supermarket the place for shopping but also a very important social meeting place. These places were also very open and connected to the public space of the town or village. The rise of the large supermarkets with housing on top has led to a uniformity of shop types. Shops with little daylight, no flexibility and almost no interaction between inside and outside. In addition, the rise of having groceries delivered at home is also a less social activity.
The aim of the Superhub is to make shopping a social activity again and part of the public area. So that people meet more easily and become less lonely, for young and old alike. It also explicitly involves the adjacent school for educational activities. The restaurant and terrace is also an important part in realising this objective. The combination of school-supermarket-restaurant creates additional bustle and opportunities for encounters. The traditional closed-box supermarket does not fit in with this, which is why the Superhub is an all-sided transparent pavilion.
Inspired by the mission to connect the young Groningen district and make shopping a social activity again, De Zwarte Hond designed a multifunctional and adaptive centre building. The SuperHub features a diverse program, including a supermarket and a café. This makes the building a meeting place as well as an amenity. Making shopping personal and social again was the aim; as a refreshing counterpart to the increasingly popular flash delivery services. Here, spatial quality is essential to fulfil the function of an attractive centre. Thus, a supermarket transforms from a place to do your daily shopping into a means to meet and contribute to social sustainability in the Groningen district of Meerstad.
Initially, the municipality of Groningen and Bureau Meerstad, which is responsible for the development of the new Meerstad district, had the idea of creating a traditional shopping centre with lots of paving and housing above the shops. Together with our client MWPO, we formulated other principles that are much more flexible and sustainable for the area. With the idea of the superhub, we were able to convince the municipality to shape this area differently. The local municipality made this change possible by cooperating on a change in the zoning plan and the urban development vision of the area. This made the realisation of the Superhub possible.
We also had intensive design sessions with the supermarket that was going to be in the building. This also had to be involved in the design at an early stage because the supermarket's interior also had to be different from usual. Together with the various technical consultants, we sought the most sustainable and flexible solutions in several design sessions.
This project was created in collaboration with: MWPO, Brands Bouw B.V., Maripaan Groep, Jumbo Supermarkets, Bureau Meerstad, Pieters Bouwtechniek and DGMR.
Together with the structural engineer (Pieters Bouwtechniek), the best and most efficient timber construction was found. The elements all have the same width and depth. The length is different, but never longer than 15 metres because they had to be easy to transport and assemble. All in all, the geometry is so logical that the building is stable without the need for additional diagonals or braces. This is important for the multifunctional and therefore sustainable use of the building: it now houses a supermarket, but you can take everything out without danger and turn it into a school or even housing, for example.
With the installation consultant (NijeboerHage Technisch Adviseurs), we looked at a system based on equalisation of heat and cold flows, with the ground as a long-term basis: in summer, excess heat goes into the ground so that it can be used in winter. A challenge was that the appearance of the building should not be affected by installations in plain sight. Moreover, our materials had to be as sustainable as possible: no halogen and the like, but also, for example, as few PVC pipes as possible.
With DGMR, responsible for the building physics, fire safety and sustainability of the building, we looked at issues such as user comfort in the design: is the solar radiation good, are there no cold traps, how are the acoustics? It is quite a large hall, you don't want visitors to run away straight away because the rattling of shopping trolleys drives them crazy. Using wood as a material is obviously a good choice: its production requires less energy than concrete and steel and it stores CO2. Another strong point is that the building can be dismantled and rebuilt elsewhere.
Superhub has had the effect of increasing employment opportunities in the area. People can work more locally but also the supermarket will mostly sell local products. Also, the building and supermarket gives space for certain educational programmes organised here, thus also connecting educational activities with a supermarket. The building is also a new recreational destination in the new Meerstad district for walkers, cyclists or even rowers and surfers.
Superhub has the effect of being an icon for the district like the church used to be, it is a modern cathedral not for faith but for food and meeting.
The building is made entirely of wood and consists of a diagonal grid of cross-shaped curved trusses. The truss shape transitions from a column to a beam with an elegant curvature. Furthermore, the building is transparent and all-sided, with a durable, also wooden supporting structure. The large spans and 9-metre ceiling height contribute to a flexible layout.
The wooden roof has an overhang of 5.4 metres, with the canopy also acting as a sunshade for the transparent building. Thereby, the roof is also the place where PV panels are installed in combination with roof planting for bees and insects.
The entire building is prefabricated, allowing a short construction time.
In 2019, our client (MWPO) got into talks with Bureau Meerstad about the realisation of a supermarket with a unique look, truly a landmark. From that idea came a cathedral-like building, all-sided, prominent and an example of sustainability, both as a building and in terms of operation. By working with the entire construction team on these ambitions, we succeeded.
In the design, we involved the various consultants earlier in the design process.
Usually, an architect already has an idea for the design in the first draft, but now the structural engineer was given the opportunity to think along not only structurally but also architecturally. The condition was that the timber construction had to remain in sight. Together with the design team, the plan was developed from sketch design to execution design using different variants of wooden support structures. That meant not only working very neatly, but also repeatedly sampling materials, making and assessing test pieces and also daring to intervene. De Zwarte Hond then sketched a number of variants. Two sketches were eventually combined. This variant was the result. A clear construction united with an architecturally appealing image.
The structure of the building is designed so that, even if it were ever to lose its function, it could have a second life in the future. In 20 years, the SuperHub could house a community centre, a museum or housing. The building's adaptive signature is a big plus. By making it adaptable, you don't have to demolish anything which, in our opinion, makes this concept much more sustainable.
In terms of material use, wood is obviously a good choice: its production requires less energy than concrete and steel and it stores CO2. Another strong point is that the building can be dismantled and rebuilt elsewhere.
Sustainability was at the main focus of the design. We also experiencing the effects of climate change in the Netherlands. There are also problems with nitrogen and energy demand.
The building is gas-free, with heat and cold storage, and not only architecturally beautiful, but has an average GPR score of over 8 in terms of energy, environment, health and quality of use. The low-concrete construction method, timber construction and good insulation ensured this. The rest was achieved with an advanced air treatment system, solar panels, sustainable finishing materials, a heat/cold storage system and rainwater collection, linked to a greywater circuit for toilet flushing. The use of wood also provides solid CO2 storage, which has a positive effect on the climate. With PV panels on the roof, the building is energy-neutral.
In addition, the building also makes a positive contribution to bringing people back together to combat loneliness. SuperHub offers the Meerstad district an opportunity for varied functionality and currently contains a supermarket and a café. The open and spacious building acts as a meeting place for residents in addition to its food service function. Our aim was to make the shopping experience personal and social again, and to offer residents a refreshing alternative to the increasingly popular express delivery services. Here, the impressive spatial qualities of the structure are essential to fulfil its purpose as an attractive and multifunctional community centre. In this way, the supermarket becomes both a place for daily shopping and a way to meet, thus contributing to the social sustainability of the Meerstad district.
