For the past 50 years, retail centers have been a reality of our modern economy, where in one very accessible location, and under one managed ownership, one finds a compelling concentration of goods that are collectively, efficiently, and persuasively presented.

Slotsarkaderne meets all the requirements typical of modern shopping centers, including large format stores, parking structures, and service areas, but is seamlessly interwoven with the surrounding historic building fabric.

The project connects the city’s historic main walking street to an interior glazed galleria with 60 stores, including some large-format stores. The large-format stores are then lined with residences, offices, and other uses to conceal what would otherwise have been outfacing blank walls.

Even though the project feels entirely pedestrian-oriented, it is still fully accessible by car given the remarkable underground pedestrian passage under a nearly hidden arterial road.

The project also includes the adaptive reuse of a listed neoclassical building from 1895.