© HPP Architekten
3rd place in a competition to improve Messe Essen
As specialist advisers to HPP Architects, Düsseldorf, Krebs und Kiefer won a prize in the two-stage competition to improve the Messe Essen trade fair facilities. In addition to a first prize, two third prizes were awarded, one of these to the HPP general planning team.
As specialist advisers to HPP Architects, Düsseldorf, Krebs und Kiefer won a prize in the two-stage competition to improve the Messe Essen trade fair facilities. In addition to a first prize, two third prizes were awarded, one of these to the HPP general planning team.
Messe Essen is one of the most visited trade fair sites in Germany. To be able to meet growing demands in the future, a modular upgrade to replace a usable area of ca. 45.000 to 60.000 m² (exhibition halls, administrative areas, conference facilities) is being planned, together with the resulting structural and functional reorganisation of most of the trade fair site. The special challenge involved in this project is that all measures must be carried out while trade fair activities are in full operation. The inner-city site is immediately adjacent to the Grugapark, and in the northern part of the site is a building monument, the Grugahalle.
Out of 49 candidates, 28 general planning teams were chosen to participate in the first phase of the competition. From the 26 entries submitted in the first phase, the jury chose seven entries to be further processed in the second phase.
KREBS+KIEFER was responsible for advising the HPP Architekten team in the areas of structural design and traffic planning. The jury assessed the exhibition halls as follows: “In the interior, the architecture, with its special construction and shell, offers a unique spatial experience“. One important aspect of the design is the possibility of realizing it in a modular way in separate construction phases which are reflected in the load-bearing structure with its lattice beams spanning ca. 120 m.
The project is expected to be completed by mid-2017.
