Whitewater Shopping Centre

• Beautifully lit
• Iconic design
• Wayfinding

Architen Landrell developed eight canopy structures for the entrance plaza of Whitewater Shopping Centre in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland. Blue fabric capsules on tapered steel masts give the centre its signature feature.

Newbridge, County Kildare is the location for one of Ireland’s newest and largest complexes. With a total of 57,000 sq. m. of floor space, the Whitewater Shopping Centre accommodates not only commercial units, apartments and parking but also an extensive retail area spread over two floors. Outside the Centre a new pedestrian street has been built, with a large outdoor plaza at the entrance to welcome visitors in.

As the focal point of the highly anticipated and prominent development, the plaza needed an identifiable feature, which would stand-out and give the centre a distinctive signature. To this end, Architen Landrell were approached by the client to develop eight canopy structures, with integrated lighting.

The structures consist of painted steel and blue fabric capsules supported by tapered steel masts, which appear to pierce through the fabric canopy, sharpening to a point above. The curvature of the canopies contrasts with the pointed steel masts, creating a dramatic effect which is enhanced by lighting.

Installed in March, the capsules were ready in time for the opening of the Centre in April. In the first week of opening the much-hyped Whitewater Shopping Centre attracted 20,000 visitors, and is hailed as the biggest and best retail centre outside of Dublin.

Photos courtesy of Equation Lighting.