Westfield Mall of the Netherlands

Westfield Mall of the Netherlands is a major shopping and leisure centre in Leidschendam, in the municipality of Leidschendam-Voorburg. It is operated and owned by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and is presented as the largest shopping mall in the Netherlands, with approximately 117,000 square metres of retail floor area. The property serves the Dutch market as a destination combining retail, food and beverage, entertainment, and other visitor services. The site originated as Leidsenhage. Construction formally began on 21 November 1969, and the original shopping centre opened on 23 September 1971. For much of its early history, the centre functioned as a conventional Dutch shopping complex serving the surrounding communities and the wider The Hague metropolitan area. Its later transformation reflected a broader shift in the European retail-property sector toward larger mixed-use destinations designed to combine everyday shopping with restaurants, leisure, architecture, and experiential attractions. A major redevelopment was agreed in 2014, when the municipality of Leidschendam-Voorburg and the centre’s owner, then associated with Unibail-Rodamco, signed an agreement concerning the future of Leidsenhage. After the redevelopment plans were developed, renovation and reconstruction began in autumn 2016. The existing centre was demolished in phases and replaced or integrated into a substantially larger and more contemporary complex. The project retained parts of the earlier site while introducing new buildings and a unified architectural envelope. The redesigned property uses a distinctive white concrete façade whose flowing form was inspired by voile fabric. The façade incorporates ultra-high-performance concrete, with simpler curved panels produced using adaptable steel moulds and more complex panels formed in moulds milled from large MDF blocks. This architectural treatment was intended to give the expanded centre a recognizable identity and visually connect its different buildings. The completed development officially opened as Westfield Mall of the Netherlands on 18 March 2021. The Westfield name places the centre within Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s international portfolio of shopping destinations, while the mall itself remains focused on consumers in the Netherlands. Its offer is centred on fashion and other retail categories, dining, entertainment, and shopping-centre services rather than on a single product category. In July 2023, the mall received BREEAM In-Use v6 Excellent certification for both the asset and management components. This recognition indicates that the operating property and its management practices were assessed against a sustainability and building-performance framework. The certification forms part of the centre’s continuing operational profile after its 2021 opening.

The property now known as Westfield Mall of the Netherlands began as Leidsenhage, a shopping centre in Leidschendam. Construction officially started on 21 November 1969, and the original centre opened on 23 September 1971. It was established as a retail destination for the local area and the broader urban region around The Hague. Over time, the site was substantially rethought as the retail sector moved toward destination centres that combine shopping with dining, leisure, entertainment, and architectural experiences. On 6 March 2014, the municipality of Leidschendam-Voorburg and the owner, associated with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, signed an agreement concerning the future of the Leidsenhage shopping centre. The agreement provided the basis for a comprehensive redevelopment rather than a limited refurbishment. Following the preparation of detailed plans, construction work began in autumn 2016. The former shopping centre was demolished in phases, while the site was replaced or connected with new buildings forming a much larger complex. The resulting design uses a continuous white concrete façade inspired by voile fabric. Its curved panels were produced through different moulding techniques, including adaptable steel moulds for simpler elements and MDF moulds milled from large blocks for more complex curves. Ultra-high-performance concrete was used in the façade system. The finished development opened officially on 18 March 2021 under the Westfield Mall of the Netherlands name. With approximately 117,000 square metres of retail floor area, it is described as the largest shopping mall in the Netherlands. The centre’s proposition spans retail, food and beverage, entertainment, leisure, and supporting visitor services. Its Westfield identity connects it to the international shopping-centre portfolio of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, while its operating focus is the Netherlands. In July 2023, the centre received BREEAM In-Use v6 Excellent certification for both the asset and management categories. This certification is a notable post-opening milestone and reflects assessment of the property’s built-asset performance and operational management. No major scandals, lawsuits, leadership announcements, or financial disclosures are identified in the supplied reference material.

• 2023

  BREEAM In-Use v6 Excellent certification

  [1]Westfield Mall of the Netherlandsen.wikipedia.org

  The mall receives Excellent certification for both asset and management assessments.

• 2021

  Westfield Mall of the Netherlands opens

  [1]Westfield Mall of the Netherlandsen.wikipedia.org

  The redeveloped destination officially opens on 18 March under its current Westfield name.

• 2016

  Major redevelopment starts

  [1]Westfield Mall of the Netherlandsen.wikipedia.org

  Renovation and reconstruction begin in autumn, with the former centre demolished in phases.

• 2014

  Redevelopment agreement signed

  [1]Westfield Mall of the Netherlandsen.wikipedia.org

  The municipality of Leidschendam-Voorburg and the owner sign an agreement concerning the future redevelopment of Leidsenhage.

• 1971

  Leidsenhage opens

  [1]Westfield Mall of the Netherlandsen.wikipedia.org

  The original shopping centre officially opens on 23 September.

• 1969

  Construction of Leidsenhage begins

  [1]Westfield Mall of the Netherlandsen.wikipedia.org

  Official construction work begins on 21 November for the shopping centre that would later become Westfield Mall of the Netherlands.

A large-scale, destination-oriented shopping and leisure centre combining retail, dining, entertainment, and contemporary architecture for the Dutch market.

• Retail · 1971

  Retail stores

  The mall’s core offer is a broad collection of retail stores serving fashion, beauty, consumer goods, and specialty-shopping needs. The centre is designed as a destination rather than a single-category outlet, with multiple retail formats brought together in a large enclosed shopping environment.

• Food and beverage · 2021

  Dining and food-and-beverage offer

  Food and beverage is an integral part of the mall’s destination positioning. Restaurants, cafés, and other dining venues complement the retail offer and support longer visits, making the centre serve both shopping and social purposes.

• Leisure · 2021

  Leisure and entertainment

  The redeveloped centre incorporates leisure and entertainment as part of its wider visitor proposition. These uses extend the property beyond conventional retail and help position it as a mixed shopping and lifestyle destination in the Dutch market.

• 2016

  Begin phased redevelopment and reconstructionOther

  Background

  The redevelopment plans required the existing shopping centre to be replaced or substantially integrated into a new complex.

  Action taken

  Renovation and construction began in autumn 2016, with the former centre demolished in phases and new buildings connected through a unified façade.

  Aftermath

  The completed project opened in 2021 as Westfield Mall of the Netherlands.

  Source

• 2014

  Approve the transformation of LeidsenhageStrategy

  Background

  The existing shopping centre required a new long-term format capable of competing as a larger retail and leisure destination.

  Action taken

  The municipality and owner signed an agreement to pursue a comprehensive redevelopment of Leidsenhage.

  Aftermath

  The agreement led to detailed planning, construction from 2016, phased demolition, and the eventual opening of Westfield Mall of the Netherlands in 2021.

  Source

• 2022.03.01

  Reported2022.03.01

  The Avocado Show announces flagship restaurant in Westfield Mall of the Netherlands[3]The Avocado Show宣布将在荷兰Westfield购物中心开设旗舰餐厅prnewswire.com

  The Avocado Show announced that it would open a new-format flagship restaurant at Westfield Mall of the Netherlands on March 12, 2022. The company described it as its first Dutch location outside Amsterdam.

Read more

1. 1Westfield Mall of the Netherlandsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Westfield Mall of the Netherlands official websitewestfield.com
3. 3The Avocado Show宣布将在荷兰Westfield购物中心开设旗舰餐厅prnewswire.com