Ever since Michael Sorkin, the shopping centre has been anathema: every discussion about shopping begins and ends with a critique of the theme park. But Shopping K in Kortrijk is a unique phenomenon in the Belgian architectural landscape: for the first time, it is possible for an architecture lover to embrace the shopping centre. Or is that merely an illusion?

None of this is mentioned in Architecture Book No. 10: Radical Commonplaces – European Architecture from Flanders (2012). The shopping centre by Robbrecht & Daem Architects on the Bijstandssite in Kortrijk is described as a highly sensitive design that blends seamlessly into the existing urban fabric. Thus, the shopping centre is not merely inward-facing: it also has a façade on the outside. The underground car park removes the obligatory delivery bays from the streetscape. The tower block with additional flats serves as a landmark in the city.