“The highway as inspiration for the building”

In 1968 a highway was built in Koog aan de Zaan, one of the most industrialized villages of the Zaan region, right through the old town. The highway turned the typical Zaanse district into a spatially complex place. The A8 is built perpendicular to the Zaan and the adjacent dike and pontifically cuts through the historic Raadhuisstraat.

NL architects intelligently designed a supermarket under the highway. Because our new building is in the axis of sight of the Raadhuisstraat and it is part of the successful A8ernA project, the building required some iconography. With its distinctive form, the new building adds a new stepping stone to the historic street.

Sustainability and circular design were explicitly requested as a leitmotif for design. The impressive construction of the highway was also an inspiration for the building. To counteract the smog filled site we have devised a building that works well for both people and nature. The building has a sturdy smog eater. The filter turns the dirty air into fresh air and gives it to the tree in the middle.

Facts & figures

Design team: Peter van Assche, Abdessamed Azarfane
Client: VOS supermarkets Holding B.V.