Hoog Catharijne was looking for a way to encourage visitors to engage more consciously with their belongings in an accessible and appealing way, while creating a place where reuse and sharing become visible and easy.

Welcome to The Swap Station: a cheerful and sustainable exchange point where second-hand toys find a new home. Children (and parents) can bring, swap or take home a new favourite. This permanent service is free, low-threshold and makes sharing both fun and natural.

Commissioned by Klépierre, we developed, designed and realised this unique concept that invites visitors to think more consciously about their belongings. The Swap Station is designed as a colourful miniature train station with transparent lockers filled with toys – a place where toys continue their journey from one owner to the next. Where old toys meet new friends.

Het bericht THE SWAP STATION verscheen eerst op THE GROUNDBREAKERS .

For Mother’s Day, The Groundbreakers transformed the Stadskamer in Hoog Catharijne into a vibrant oasis of love and creativity. During the cheerful event ‘Harvest Happiness’, children were invited on Saturday 10 May to craft their own flowers – a lasting, handmade gift for the most beloved mothers and mother figures.

Surrounded by giant flowers and guided by friendly hosts, visitors took a seat at cosy tables covered in red-and-white checkered cloths. Here, they created their own personal masterpiece, assisted by an expert flower maker. A colourful flower bar stocked with materials, wooden signs and simple instruction cards on the tables made the activity inviting and accessible for all ages.

The enchanting flower workshop brought wonder, connection, and heartwarming moments to the shopping centre. ‘Harvest Happiness’ turned Mother’s Day at Hoog Catharijne into not just a joyful celebration, but also a cherished memory to take home.

Het bericht PLUKGELUK verscheen eerst op THE GROUNDBREAKERS .

Hoog Catharijne didn’t want to let the end of a ten-year renovation go by unnoticed. They were looking for a festive and eye-catching way to celebrate this milestone with their visitors. Klépierre asked The Groundbreakers to create a series of activations to mark the occasion in style.

We came up with Finished & Fabulous: an energetic three-weekend activation series that transformed the shopping centre into a stage for creativity and surprise. Each weekend focused on a different audience, with experiences that were engaging, accessible, and Instagram-worthy.

We kicked off with Fabulous Creations, a DIY weekend full of creative workshops. Visitors customized tiles and candles under the guidance of professional makers. Families, students, and day-trippers all joined in. A local influencer helped boost visibility through social media.

The second weekend was all about fun and games in the Fabulous Gamehall: a pop-up arcade filled with retro and modern classics. From dance mats to pinball machines — there was cheering, laughing, and serious gaming going on.

The final weekend brought the Fabulous Friends Club: an open-air cinema where visitors sank into green beanbags, grabbed a bucket of popcorn, and enjoyed a Friends marathon with lounge music in the background.

With these vibrant activations, we turned a technical milestone into a memorable experience. Hoog Catharijne is Finished & Fabulous!

Het bericht FINISHED & FABULOUS verscheen eerst op THE GROUNDBREAKERS .

Those with a birthday naturally celebrate it with a party! To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of shopping centre Hoog Catharijne, we organised for them the biggest birthday party for the little ones. For no less than ten days, Children's Party XL took place under the Bollendak in Utrecht. A huge birthday party where children could come and play, jump, dance and above all have fun. And when we say big, we mean really big.

All the ingredients for a successful birthday party were present, but in life-size format. There was a teacup attraction, colourful confetti ball pit, fluffy giant teddy bear, party hat climbing tower and bouncy castle in the shape of a birthday cake. The Children's Party XL was a grandiose success. Thousands of children came to celebrate the birthday with us. Watch the aftermovie for an impression of the colourful event.

Het bericht KINDERFEESTJE XL verscheen eerst op THE GROUNDBREAKERS .

For the 50th anniversary of Hoog Catharijne, we were asked to develop a spectacular anniversary show in downtown Utrecht. Well-known artists Antoon and Davina Michelle provided live performances from an impressive stage on the water during The Big Anniversary ShowThe Groundbreakers won the pitch from property owner Klépierre and was allowed to develop and produce the special anniversary show.

Exactly fifty years after the opening by Princess Beatrix on 24 September 1973, thousands of visitors gathered on and around the Utrecht Singel to celebrate the golden anniversary. An imposing stage on the water in front of the entrance to Hoog Catharijne on the TivoliVredenburg side rose for The Big Anniversary Show. More than 4,000 visitors enjoyed the free show from stands on the quays or on boats in the water. The memorable show was presented by Utrechter Tim Senders, known from Streetlab.

Mayor of Utrecht, Sharon Dijksma, and Shopping Center Director Rinus Griep opened the evening, after which the audience enjoyed a jam-packed entertainment programme. Highlights of the show included live performances by pop artist Antoon and singer Davina Michelle and her band. At the end of the anniversary show, the history of Hoog Catharijne and its connection to the city of Utrecht was highlighted, after which dancers on the water catwalk, fire throwers, light artists and mermaids formed a dazzling grand finale. The Big Anniversary Show was a wonderful finale to the iconic shopping centre's 50th anniversary.

Brand experience agency The Groundbreakers developed and produced Hoog Catharijne's anniversary show on behalf of owner Klépierre. The Big Anniversary Show was the end of the three-month anniversary campaign in which events and activities in and around the shopping centre were organised every week by the agency. These included a ten-day children's party XXL, interactive pop-up experience about history, game show with human grabbing machine 'Lucky Crane' and a boat taxi shuttle service that took visitors from the city centre across the canals to the shopping centre.

Het bericht BIG ANNIVERSARY SHOW verscheen eerst op THE GROUNDBREAKERS .

For the 50th anniversary, we developed the anniversary campaign 'The Mall For Us All'. With this campaign, we want to give the place Hoog Catharijne a face and celebrate 50 years of memories together with its visitors. It is the people who make Hoog Catharijne, so it is the visitors of Hoog Catharijne who shine on the campaign posters throughout Utrecht and its surroundings. On billboards, bus shelters, digital screens and various magazines and newspapers, the campaign was communicated in a big way. 

During the anniversary programme, we organised several activities and events to celebrate the anniversary in the city. For instance, a life-size Shop-up Bag travelled through Utrecht's parks. This eye-catching shopper featured the anniversary programme. In the shopping centre itself, the jubilee was visible through the colourful confetti explosion under hot Bollendak and the cheerful Shareable Cake tempting to take fun photos or videos. The 50th anniversary of Hoog Catharijne cannot escape anyone's attention! 

Het bericht HOOG CATHARIJNE 50 JAAR verscheen eerst op THE GROUNDBREAKERS .

Het bericht RECYCLE STATION verscheen eerst op THE GROUNDBREAKERS .

Ready to create impact together? Get in touch with us!

Het bericht WINTER WONDER CARROUSEL verscheen eerst op THE GROUNDBREAKERS .

Ready to create impact together? Get in touch with us!

Het bericht LUCKY CRANE verscheen eerst op THE GROUNDBREAKERS .

Ready to create impact together? Get in touch with us!

Het bericht BLACK FRIDAY verscheen eerst op THE GROUNDBREAKERS .