New build Plaza Graafstaete, Duiven (the Netherlands) 2006

Since March 2006, a large shopping mall of some 36,000 m² lies a few hundred meters west of the A12 turnoff at Duiven, offering various home and garden stores, all under one roof. The site lies in a supra-regional area with a retail function, comprising stores such as IKEA, Praxis, Leen Bakker, Makro, Kwantum and Piet Klerkx.

Customers arriving from the A12 near the roundabout towards Duiven and Westervoort, see a large, black cube with an open façade of glass, offering a view directly into Intratuin.

Once you arrive on the grounds itself, the transparent communal passage provides access to Intratuin, the DIY store, the kitchen center and the home-furnishing outlet. The passage, which includes a snack bar/kiosk, a florist, seating, olive trees and various shows, is already an experience in itself. It divides the complex into the greenhouse-like character of Intratuin and the more utilitarian volumes of other stores.

The façade has a plinth measuring two meters in height of a sustainable, ceramic ClickBrick dry-stacking system. This is a natural material that ties in well with the lush green world inside the garden center building.