benthem crouwel reframes the zentralplatz in koblenz

benthem crouwel architects redefines zentralplatz in koblenzimage © thomas eickenall images courtesy of benthem crouwel architects

dutch firm benthem crouwel architects has designed shopping mall ‘forum mittelrhein‘ and kulturbau ‘forum confluentes’ in koblenz as part of the redevelopment of the central square of koblenz. the project reframes the complexity of public space mall architecture with a network of buildings that effectively reroute several flows of pedestrian traffic. the central square acts as a nexus of public transport and a relevant junction of the urban fabric with a trapezoidal layout and the beginnings of a rounded architectural language. the forum mittelrhein mall totes a sequence of spacious entrances and a layered horizontal form that promotes the movement of the masses. mechanisms of circulation act like points of orientation, with escalators becoming sinuous lines in space. the building envelope is a varied palette of process and material; the top three floors of the mall boast a distinguishable wine leaf-shaped tectonic and industrial thermoforming helped create the entire facade–itself comprised of 2900 shaped aluminum modules, each painted three shades of green.

(left): kulturbau ‘forum confluentes’(right): detail of kulturbau ‘forum confluentes’ facadeimage © thomas eicken

 the mall is made up of over 2900 individual thermoformed vine leaf-shaped modulesimage © jens kirchner

the central plaza is a composition of sinuous complementary formsimage © jens kirchner

image © jens kirchner

various flows of pedestrian traffic are seamlessly woven in the designimage © jens kirchner

image © jens kirchner

image © jens kirchner

image © thomas eicken

image © thomas eicken

image © thomas eicken

image © thomas eicken

image © thomas eicken

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project info:

client: ece projektmanagement gmbh & co. kgarchitect: benthem crouwel architektengross floor area: 42,500 sqm (mall), 25,000 sqm (parking)start design: 2007start construction: 2010completion: 2012photography: jens kirchner