On Friday 14 September 2007, Multi Development will be organising a topping out ceremony to mark the completion of the highest point of the 210-million Euro “Forum” inner city shopping centre in Duisburg, Germany. The official opening is slated for September 2008. The building will be home to 90 stores spread over 57,000 square meters.
Over 85 percent of rentable space has already been leased, one year before the official opening. „We still have a number of attractive and sought-after retail units available, ranging from 60 to 500 m²“, says Thomas Schrickel, Leasing Manager. Major leasers include the new Karstadt department store with its „Perfetto“ deli counter, occupying a total of 19,500 square metres, C&A (5,000 m²), Saturn (8,000 m²), H & M (2,500 m²), New Yorker (2,000 m²), Mayersche Buchhandlung (2,600 m²) and The Sting with 3,000 m², the first outlet in Germany for this Dutch „Young Fashion” specialist.
The Project
Boasting 57,000 m² of retail space, Forum Duisburg is set to become one of the largest inner city shopping centres in North Rhine-Westphalia. The developer, Multi Development, spent three years planning and constructing the project, and invested approximately 210 million Euros. Situated along the pedestrianised Königstraße, Forum Duisburg is scheduled to be opened in September 2008. Spread over 106,000 m², it will provide 1,200 parking spaces, a direct underground railway link and a day-care centre as part of the shopping centre. Spanning four storeys, Forum offers retail, gastronomy and service facilities in approximately 90 stores. The Forum concept was devised by T+T Design from Gouda, The Netherlands. The architects are Ortner & Ortner Baukunst, Berlin, and Chapman Taylor, Düsseldorf. The main contractor is Bilfinger Berger AG, Essen, in consortium with August Heine AG, Oberhausen.
The Concept
Dovetailing smoothly with the inner-city development along the König-Heinrich-Platz, Forum Duisburg is set to become a top-quality, attractive architectural focus of attention. Situated along the Königstraße, Duisburg’s high street and ‘backbone’, Forum is integrated beautifully into the city centre environment, consolidating Duisburg’s position as a prime shopping location. With their open-air design, the shopping malls resemble urban streets, veritable retail galleries that radiate urban sophistication. Comprising a total of three shopping streets and main entrances, the Forum is superbly intertwined with the surrounding area, guiding visitors to neighbouring shopping opportunities.
Forum’s location, facing the brand new City-Palais, a multi-functional building providing a combination of shopping, gastronomy and casino facilities, consolidates the position of the Königstraße as a prime retail destination. Positioning of the Forum on Königstraße with City-Palais opposite will also give this central promenade a new urban focus, driving further inner-city revitalisation projects. The Forum project aims to deliver Germany’s foremost integrated city-centre shopping experience. For further information, images and pictures, please visit www.forumduisburg.de