Meerstad is an up-and-coming district of Groningen, which will eventually grow into a vivid city district. With this future expansion in mind, it was important for the neighbourhood to contain an inviting community centre, which serves as a place for residents to shop, meet and eat. This way, the supermarket becomes a place for everyday groceries as well as way for meeting each other, thereby contributing to the social sustainability of the Meerstad neighbourhood.
SuperHub represents a revitalised circular version of the traditional market hall design. the cleverly constructed timber cross forms provide the building with stability and give it a cathedral-like appearance. The choice for a wooden construction also ensures a positive climate impact, and the built-in air treatment installation as well as the heat and cold ground storage create an energy-efficient, comfortable indoor climate. The roof of SuperHub has been reserved for the placement of solar panels and plants for bees and insects.
SuperHub represents the modern symbiosis of marketplace and shopping centre, where visitors can do their shopping and visit a trendy café. In addition, the structure was built to last and offers the possibility for future adjustments and additions. The flexible, open layout allows for its functions to be reinvented along with the changing needs of the community, meaning that it will not become outdated or be demolished in the future. In this way, SuperHub manifests itself as a future-proof community hub that will grow along with the development of Meerstad.