Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Weltstadtkaufhaus by Renzo Piano


“Dare to be modern“ is the message from Renzo Piano by opening his new Weltstadtkaufhaus (cosmopolitan department store) with its cosmopolitan atmosphere, integrated into the concrete shopping mall of Cologne and creating inspiring space for stylish fashion. Since the opening of the cosmopolitan department store in Schildergasse, Peek & Cloppenburg are not only convincing in terms of fashion.
Just like the large houses in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Mannheim and Stuttgart, the Weltstadtkaufhaus opens up unique shopping worlds, designed by internationally well-known architects. The curved 34 meters high glass body stands out from the cityscape in a striking manner and combines the classic block architecture of Antonsgasse with the monumental look of a natural stone façade. A 14.400 m² large sales area is spread across six floors. Inside the daylight coming in through the glass façade provides a very special atmosphere.






Demanding from an urban planning related point of view is also the structure above the lower lying four-lane main artery, covered by an arched glazed front part. The impressive glass building reaches from Schildergasse/ Antonsgasse up to Cäcillienstraße, reminding of a giant ship with its 130 meters long layout. Cologne citizens with a sense of humor love to emphasize the similarity with a stranded whale. An architectural peculiarity is the unusual construction of the basic building. Curved glued laminated girders support 6,800 individual glass panes the glass façade, hanging from a block of steel, consists of. It is arranged following a fan-like fin system, so that the 4,900 m² glass skin nearly completely covers the six-story steel skeleton. From the classic materials glass, timber, stone and steel, star architect Renzo Piano created a modern glass coat. Piano leads architecture back to its actual task: Buildings between art and science, invention and remembrance, modernism and tradition. The uniqueness of his style makes him one of the most significant architects of our time. Renzo Piano challenges conventions, yet he opens up new possibilities without looking down on tradition. ”Dare to do something“, is his motto. In Cologne, he has shown how this can be realized.


Constructor: Peek und Cloppenburg KG Düsseldorf, Germany
Architect: Renzo Piano
Size: Sales area 14,400 m²


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