Introduction

Problem statement

The shopping centre plays a central role within the Hart van Zuid area (Gemeente Rotterdam, 2011). Therefore, it is necessary to address its issues during the renovation. In the coming years, the area will continue dealing with social issues. Thereby, the development of social sustainability and circularity is increasingly relevant. A challenge for Zuidplein is safety. Over the years, security has been increased (Stadskrant Rotterdam, 2007), but concerns remain today, especially in the evenings. It follows from interviews with some stakeholders (e.g., van der Meulen, personal communication, February 15, 2021) who mention that the shopping centre and the surrounding area is completely abandoned after seven o’clock when the shops close and the people moving around do not feel safe. Previous research (e.g., van der Meulen, 2021) shows that both static changes and deep structural adjustments are needed to strengthen security (Deloitte, 2020), as well as its openness towards the rest of the area (van der Meulen, 2021). Shopping centres have been facing changes in customers behaviour for many years, but the major hit came with the coronavirus pandemic. The most significant issue we can point at is the rise of e-commerce. Before the pandemic, mall foot traffic was already falling (Deloitte, 2020). According to research from Deloitte (2020), 78% of consumers expect online shopping to become more popular post-COVID-19, whereby 58% of consumers expect enclosed-mall shopping to become less popular after the pandemic. Retailers and mall owners must rethink their strategy. Another topic is the role a shopping centre plays within its location. The survey conducted by Deloitte (2020) showed that most customers increasingly prefer one-stopshop destinations for daily essentials. They find them more convenient than enclosed centres. In this regard, two areas need to be addressed. The first is the locality. Services and products that do not travel worldwide but local should appear in the mall offerings. This type of service promotes social and environmental sustainability. The second way to attract people is related to a general change in customer behaviour. Younger generations value access to functionality over ownership and demonstrate a clear and growing preference for experiences over the acquisition of “stuff” (Kearney, 2020). This shift also contributes to the decrease in foot traffic. The study by Deloitte (2020) suggests several steps on how to combat this shift. In the creation of shopping centres strategies, they are recommended to focus on mixeduse spaces. Shopping centres that manage to diversify their business and offer more entertainment to their customers become more resilient (Deloitte, 2020). One of the interviews with stakeholders showed that compared to the original contract more emphasis is now placed on environmental sustainability (W. van de Braak, personal communication, February 15, 2021). Nevertheless, these changes need to be thoughtfully planned, so it is necessary to learn from already completed projects in Hart van Zuid, such as the swimming pool, where sustainability was addressed3 only during construction (R. van Ombergen, personal communication, February 15, 2021). Strengths

Size (the biggest in the Netherlands) Large user base Connection to the transport network Many job opportunities The current structure can be reused (circularity) Diversification of revenue generation

Opportunities

- Vibrant location - E-shopping trend - Policy support for sustainable development - Changing the role of the mall (diversify functions) Weaknesses

- Less focus on sustainability

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Low recognition - The mall doesn’t relate to the surroundings. - The routes inside the shopping centre are not always evident. - After the closing of the shops, it feels unsafe. - The big structure breaks up the fabric of the urban tissue (lack of human scale) - Too many stakeholders involved. - Hardly recognisable entrances

Threats

- Safety concerns - Shrinking retail economy - E-commerce

Table 2: SWOT analysis for the shopping centre Zuidplein. (own table)

Environmental sustainability has become part of public awareness. According to Blake et al. (2015), customer preferences may reflect the focus on sustainability to some degree. Therefore, elements of the circular economy can help the shopping centre to be more resilient in the future (Blake et al., 2015). A SWOT analysis (table 2) is conducted to gain more knowledge about the current situation main problems and the strengths and opportunities that the redesign proposal needs to consider.

Analysis results show some aspects affecting the socially sustainable credentials of the area. For example, the fact that shopping centre Zuidplein is a large structure and has a negative effect on the human scale at the Hart van Zuid area. Furthermore, the shopping centre has a lower focus on sustainability. However, some strengths and opportunities could give solutions to the main issues. For instance, the main structure can be reused, and the job opportunities that the redevelopment of the shopping centre could bring. The mentioned ideas could bring back the liveability to the Hart van Zuid area in the circularity implementation in its redevelopment. The situation of Hart van Zuid is subject to time. Many changes can occur during the development. Events Cases are studied to have a comprehensive understanding of complex projects and learn lessons to redesign.

Even case study

The group members studied different events that may occur during the development of Hart van Zuid. Table 3 shows the most crucial outcome of each event case study. Event case study shows that the alternative public financing instrument and Total Cost of Ownership can be seen as financial support to circularity. Also, to achieve circularity, the project needs to redefine the goals and create new circular programs. Regarding social sustainability, public participation and transparency contribute to both project success and the well-being of the actors involved. With the assistance of a well-designed brief and contract, public involvement can be legally guaranteed. Therefore, two main focuses: circularity and social sustainability can be further confirmed. the positive impact on biodiversity, culture and society, health and well-being and the creation of multiple forms of value. Due to limited time and length, the paper will focus on the two pillars ‘materials’ and ‘human culture and society (Figure 7). Ultimately, the most significant advantages of a circular economy are the expenditure of the building lifespan and the reuse of higher-quality components and raw materials (Drift & Metabolic, 2018). Most building materials in the province of Zuid Holland are not reused or are reused only at a low level (Drift & Metabolic, 2018). Thereby, the development of a circular economy is not entirely dependent on technical innovation. In this transformation, the socio-economic side, as well as the social and cultural influence, are critical (Drift & Metabolic, 2018). In a circular economy, all activities happening within the limits of the earth carrying capacity, while ensuring that certain minimum social conditions are met (Raworth, 2017). In an ideal circular economy, economic activities deliver social added value with abundance and diversity (Lodder et al., 2016).

Event case topic

Alternative public financing instruments

Public participation

Application of Total Cost Ownership

Partnership divorce

Changing program of requirements during the process Description

Ilse van Milaan (2021) focused on London Docklands, she concluded that Dutch local authorities could try and experiment with external alternative public financing instruments. Alternative financing instruments such as DBFM/Concession Light, Crowdfunding, Urban Development Trusts, Business Improvement Districts, and Urban Reparcelling. Through partnerships with the local business community and civil society organisations, they can promote urban development. Krystof Kratochvil (2021) studies Mexico City New International Airport. He noted that: In all cases, the search for an ideal place to expand air transport capacity in Mexico City proceeded without much regard for the environment and the opinion of the locals. Protests and escalated situations resulted in scrapping projects and required billions of dollars. The lesson learned from this case is that participation and transparency are crucial for a successful project. Also, the public deserves to be informed about events happening in their neighbourhood, and it is necessary to consider public opinion and treat it well in project development. Hannah Yan (2021) researched the influence of the Total Cost Ownership (TCO) in Brummen Town Hall. Using a TCO approach in the built environment means that the cost of the entire building lifecycle will be considered, including the cost of construction, maintenance, operation, etc. The lesson learned is that a circular building (circular economy) can well combine the finance and sustainable aspects under TCO. Alexandra de la Vega (2021) focused on the topic of partnership divorce in the International Airport at Chinchero case. During the briefing process, the country did not count on an institution to consider sustainability issues when this kind of infrastructure project was arranged. Therefore, the lack of such an institution led to designing the brief without considering and balancing all stakeholders’ interests. The lack of public participation allowed basing the decision-making only on political criteria and provided conditions in which several forms of corruption could happen, for example, favouritism or conflict of interest. The lessons learned from this case include the importance of a well-designed brief and a thought-through contract. Steven Donkers (2021) studies the process evaluation of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. During the process, the client was unsatisfied with the cost of the project as the clients were unable to finance the large cost. The solution to this situation was to hold an intervention. In this situation, it is important to redefine the goals and create a new program of requirements based on those goals. To limit sunk cost a committee can be created that objectively decides what elements of the previous contract (in this case the architect) can be retained and what must be erased.

Table 3: Event case description (own table)

Redesign proposal

The following chapter describes the redesign proposal of the Zuidplein shopping centre based on circularity. This proposal aims to promote the use of circular strategies within the built environment in the Netherlands as well as promote the benefits and lessons from the circular economy applied to the industry. The goal is to add to the integration of the circular economy within the construction sector in the Netherlands. This escalation can be achieved through knowledge and experience sharing during the whole development process and the use phase of the shopping centre. The product level and the process level of this redesign proposal will be introduced in the following chapters:

Product level

Some concepts can be used to accomplish a circular approach to a construction project. This proposal uses two of the “7 pillars of the circular economy” from Kubbinga et al. (2018). This approach is based on the optimal use of resources for materials, energy, and water, while maintaining

Figure 7: Framework based on seven Pillars of the Circular Economy (Kubbinga et al., 2018)