The project will redevelop the outdated Heuvel shopping centre and the Muziekgebouw, a music venue located in the existing shopping centre.
In MVRDV's vision, the Heuvel will be transformed into an urban quarter where shopping, culture, and recreation take place in the same location. The existing buildings will be expanded and broken open so that they better connect with the surrounding public spaces and cultural buildings of Eindhoven’s inner city.
The covered passages of the shopping centre are replaced with open streets, making the quarter an active part of the life of the city, while the roofs are accessible and green, creating a park that adds to the area’s attractiveness.
The covered passages of the shopping centre are replaced with open streets, making the quarter an active part of the life of the city
Above the existing Muziekgebouw will be a stacked cultural building under a “Glass Mountain”. This mountain, which visitors can climb for beautiful views of the city, creates an eye-catching landmark for the Heuvel, and makes the quarter an important contribution to the densification and greening of central Eindhoven. It also creates additional space for the Muziekgebouw, allowing the venue to adopt a broader programme.
The ambition is to turn the Muziekgebouw into a living room for the city; during the day, Eindhoven residents will be able to stay in the building’s foyers to work or relax. With this new mix of functions and the much broader programme offering, “Het Heuvelkwartier & De Muziekberg” (“The Hill Quarter & The Music Mountain”) will draw Eindhoven residents in greater numbers.
Our vision is an open and accessible shopping, residential, and cultural quarter. We achieve this by radically opening up the existing buildings, transforming the complex into seven new city blocks, and expanding upwards from the roofs. Our goal is to make the complex attractive again for all the people of Eindhoven who want to shop and go out, while at the same time ensuring interaction with the inner city.
Winy Maas, Founding Partner, MVRDV