With the demolition of a school in this historic town, a large area became available for redevelopment with shops and offices. The architects left parts of the 110-metre-long main facade standing, inserting four full-height glazed elements between the segments of the wall. A new spine was created, consisting of a sequence of 5-metre-deep rooms, together with a covered main route parallel to the wall. The complex is dissected by a network of circulation routes and planted courtyards. The balconies and walkways on the upper floor are suspended from steel beams that also support the glass roof of the main arcade. A peripheral beam at?attic level links the various sections of the building and accentuates the identical eaves height of the old and new elements.