Renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, along with the CENTRUM Group, has unveiled plans for Calatrava Boulevard, a luxury retail and office complex in Düsseldorf, Germany.
“Düsseldorf, with its famous Königsallee, is an elegant, cosmopolitan city with a sophisticated aura,” Calatrava said in a statement, referring to the boulevard known for its canal and high-end shopping. “Working closely with both the City Council and CENTRUM, we were able to develop a balanced and innovative solution that both preserves the distinctive and traditional character of the ‘Kö’ and creates new architectural and urban development excellence.”
Running parallel to Königsallee and connecting with the Steinstrasse station, Calatrava Boulevard will incorporate and connect to the boulevard’s existing buildings. Its inner façade will feature waveforms that sweep toward the outer façades facing Königstrasse and Steinstrasse.
RELATED: Santiago Calatrava-designed St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church opens in New York
The design’s centerpiece is a curved and vaulted 135-foot roof that’s lower than the typical height of high-rise buildings in the North Rhine-Westphalia state capital. As part of the project’s sustainability strategy, the landscaped roof terraces contain integrated solar panels, which also will help the city achieve its climate goals.
The first two levels of Calatrava Boulevard will provide about 160,000 sf of restaurant and retail space, with about 236,000 sf of office space on the second through eighth floors, which will preserve the Kö façades’ traditional structure. Calatrava Boulevard aims to attract top businesses and international luxury flagship stores, according to the statement.
Construction has begun on the project, which is scheduled for completion by 2028.
On the Building Team:
Owner/developer: CENTRUM Group
Design architect: Santiago Calatrava Architects and Engineers
Architect of record: BMP Architekten
MEP engineer: INGENIEURBÜRO DR. BLEIKER GmbH
Structural engineer: Santiago Calatrava Architects and Engineers
Here is the full statement from Santiago Calatrava:
On Monday, January 23, world-renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, Uwe Reppegather, Founder and Managing Director of the CENTRUM Group and Lord Mayor Dr. Stephan Keller announced the plans for Calatrava Boulevard – a sustainable, luxury building complex located on a site between Königsallee, Königstrasse and Steinstrasse in Düsseldorf, Germany. This project is a result of the close partnership between Calatrava and Reppegather meant to f create an international destination and must-see attraction.
“We are very pleased and proud to be involved in such an important project and to be able to make our contribution to sustainable urban development,” said Santiago Calatrava. “Düsseldorf, with its famous Königsallee, is an elegant, cosmopolitan city with a sophisticated aura. Working closely with both the City Council and CENTRUM, we were able to develop a balanced and innovative solution that both preserves the distinctive and traditional character of the “Kö” and creates new architectural and urban development excellence. My team and I are working on this project with the greatest of pleasure and enthusiasm and are proud to present the results of our work so far.”
Invigorating Königsallee as an international destination
Calatrava Boulevard will modernize the space located along the Königsallee and future-proof the location, making it a prime spot for top businesses and international luxury flagship stores. The centerpiece of the design is a curved and vaulted 135-foot roof which faces Martin-Luther-Platz and remains below the typical height of high-rise buildings in the North Rhine-Westphalia state capital. The landscaped roof terraces also contain integrated solar panels, adding to the sustainability of the project and helping the city achieve its climate goals. The existing buildings fronting the Königsallee will be incorporated and connected to Calatrava Boulevard to create a seamless experience.
The first two levels of Calatrava Boulevard will offer approximately 160,000 square feet of luxury restaurant and retail space. The central axis of the main building, with its triangular footprint, provides direct access into the Boulevard, which then further connects to the office lobbies on the 2nd to 8th floors. These upper floors will house 236,000 square feet of office space and will preserve the traditional structure of the “Kö” façades.
Related Stories
| May 31, 2013
Japan to transform canal into world's largest outdoor pool
A wild proposal by the city of Osaka, Japan, would transform the Dotonbori Canal into a 2,625-foot-long, 40-foot-wide pool.
| May 22, 2013
Return of retail? Rent growth seen in recovering markets
Like digging a ditch with a spoon, retail demand driven by population growth has eaten away at the supply of available store space in the markets that have been slowest to recover from the downturn. Vacancy rates are reaching a point that will give at least some landlords in every market the clout to demand slightly higher rents.
| May 21, 2013
7 tile trends for 2013: Touch-sensitive glazes, metallic tones among top styles
Tile of Spain consultant and ceramic tile expert Ryan Fasan presented his "What's Trending in Tile" roundup at the Coverings 2013 show in Atlanta earlier this month. Here's an overview of Fasan's emerging tile trends for 2013.
| May 20, 2013
Jones Lang LaSalle: All U.S. real estate sectors to post gains in 2013—even retail
With healthier job growth numbers and construction volumes at near-historic lows, real estate experts at Jones Lang LaSalle see a rosy year for U.S. commercial construction.
| May 16, 2013
Chicago unveils $1.1 billion plan for DePaul arena, Navy Pier upgrades
Hoping to send a loud message that Chicago is serious about luring tourism and entertainment spending, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has released details of two initiatives that have been developing for more than a year and that it says will mean $1.1 billion in investment in the McCormick Place and Navy Pier areas.
| Apr 30, 2013
Tips for designing with fire rated glass - AIA/CES course
Kate Steel of Steel Consulting Services offers tips and advice for choosing the correct code-compliant glazing product for every fire-rated application. This BD+C University class is worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
| Apr 26, 2013
BIG tapped to design Europa City in suburban Paris
Danish architecture firm, BIG - led by Bjarke Ingels – has been announced as the winner of an international invited competition for the design of Europa City, a 800,000 square meter cultural, recreational and retail development in Triangle de Gonesse, France.
| Apr 26, 2013
Solving the parking dilemma in U.S. cities
ArchDaily's Rory Stott yesterday posted an interesting exploration of progressive parking strategies being employed by cities and designers. The lack of curbside and lot parking exacerbates traffic congestion, discourages visitors, and leads to increased vehicles emissions.
| Apr 24, 2013
Los Angeles may add cool roofs to its building code
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants cool roofs added to the city’s building code. He is also asking the Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to create incentives that make it financially attractive for homeowners to install cool roofs.
| Apr 22, 2013
Top 10 green building projects for 2013 [slideshow]
The AIA's Committee on the Environment selected its top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment.
