Grotestraat, Almelo
Redesign of the main commercial street in Almelo, the Netherlands
Help! The Grotestraat in Almelo was a ‘cacophony’ of different street furniture and all kinds of displays, advertising, and signage. The Grotestraat, therefore, required interventions to be a beautiful shopping street again.
Together with shopkeepers, residents, and visitors to the town, we took the initiative to develop a plan. ‘Cleaning up’ the street’s messy appearance was one of the first design principles. To this, we added recognisable, logical routes towards surrounding attractions.
The outcome is unity in diversity. Bespoke benches, chairs, signs, bins, and lampposts are designed or selected for visual consistency. The street furniture is now literally aligned. Specially designed ‘Almelose rondjes’ (Almelo circles) subtly highlight the zone for displays and terraces. Additionally, these pavement-embedded circles reveal details about the story of the Grotestraat and Almelo.
The side streets’ paving design continues into the Grotestraat. This choice accompanies clear signage and special lighting. These elements naturally attract visitors to and from places of interest around the Grotestraat.
Location: Grotestraat, Almelo, the Netherlands
Client: Municipality of Almelo
Partners: Studio Hoogeveen & van Tilburg, StudioDL
Years: 2013-2016