Combating vacancies with a retail concept.

A shopping arcade from the early 1980s. Empty shop windows, not just since the pandemic. This is also the case in Hamelin, where the 2,500 square meter Ritterpassage in the middle of the city is largely empty. But that is about to change. Hamelin investor and fashion retailer Holger Wellner is currently working with our retail experts to develop a concept that will bring people back to the arcade. Would you like to join us on this project for the future?

The vision

“This arcade has been dormant for many years and now Holger Wellner is going to kiss it awake with our help,” says our trend scout Alex Gehle, summarizing the project. They quickly abandoned all conventional concepts and planned something completely new. “We want to create an exciting curated concept store here that acts as a community place. In other words, a mix of different sectors, textiles, beauty, second-life, gastronomy, which creates a shopping experience and encourages people to stay,” says Alex. A huge event space that constantly surprises customers.

On the first floor, the focus is therefore on a flexible usage concept that creates a smooth transition between showroom and gastronomy. Also in the space: a second-life concept – and a tailor’s shop in the basement with its own wedding lounge. Existing apartments and a medical practice will also remain on the first floor.

The architecture

Ritterpassage was built in 1984. “We are building in an existing building, we also have to comply with some monument protection regulations and we want to combine the modern Wellner fashion store next door with a historical environment,” says our architect Alejandro, explaining the challenges. It therefore quickly became clear that we would sort out the architectural chaos – and not produce anything new. In other words, we would dismantle more than we would build. Keyword sustainability – and therefore also cost efficiency.

For example, the arcade currently has an atrium with a glass roof. Bright, but a disaster in terms of energy. “We will reduce the glass area as it is in poor condition and we want to achieve greater energy efficiency, but of course we will keep the daylight in the arcade,” explains Alejandro. The remaining substance will continue to be used as much as possible. For example, the flooring will be retained in its entirety. So we only use as little new material as necessary.

The interior design

“The idea is for the Ritterpassage to become part of the city again. It connects two streets, it is part of the urban identity. We are revitalizing it,” explains interior designer Ramona. Hamelin has a very active and creative city marketing department, which we have worked with time and again, for example on the climate box. Part of the cityscape are color accents, which are also to be reflected in the Ritterpassage, for example through an eye-catching staircase.

“We also want to bring the cobblestones of the pedestrian zone from the outside to the inside so that people are led directly into the passage,” says Ramona. A light installation on the ceiling – light continues to be a major theme in the arcade – is intended to create a kind of open space. A place where people like to be. A place that offers so much more than shopping. An experience.