doorgangen

Doorgangen is a Dutch term used to describe passages that allow movement from one space to another, either inside a building or between external locations. The singular is doorgang and the plural doorgangen. The concept covers a range of forms, from indoor corridors, hallways, and foyers to outdoor or semi-enclosed routes such as covered passages, arcades, streets between buildings, or pedestrian walkways that connect courtyards, shopping fronts, or different blocks.

In architecture, doorgangen serve both functional and experiential roles. They facilitate circulation, provide access and shelter, and shape the sequence of spaces and how people move through them. Doorgangen can be simple doorways or part of a larger spatial composition that influences light, views, and the perception of distance. Historic urban fabric often features doorgangen as architectural and social canopies—arcades and covered passages that protect pedestrians and accommodate commercial activity. In contemporary settings, they remain important for connectivity, accessibility, and the integration of indoor and outdoor spaces.

Design considerations for doorgangen include width and headroom, sightlines, accessibility, safety, ventilation, and lighting. They are typically constructed with materials appropriate to their context, such as brick, concrete, timber, metal, or glass, and are designed to harmonize with surrounding architecture and the urban or building interior they connect.

Etymology and usage: the word derives from doorgaan, meaning “to go through,” and in Dutch it generically denotes any route or space that passes through or between areas.