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126Stuttgart, Germany
Günther Schaller
Günter Behnisch
Stefan Behnisch
Outline Concept
“The dimensions of the site do not necessarily require slim, vertical high-rises. Especially because zoning requirements limit building heights to 150 m, such a solution would not be sensible anyway. Another important objective was to set the new building in stark contrast to the typical German Central Bank building. Because of the ECB's symbolic importance, we tried to avoid using architectural features of existing institutions, especially other financial institutions.
We therefore propose an unusual building form which develops freely, and which is able to accommodate all the required functions of the European Central Bank under one roof. The form of the building is in no way related to that of the market hall, avoiding any kind of concurrence or attempts to place either building in the foreground or background. Instead, the new ECB building allows the market hall to physically assert itself as an independent element on the site.
The central element of the new structure is a ribbon, sometimes widening, sometimes narrowing, which extends from the northern part of the site through to the southern part on Level 1, and through the existing market hall to constitute part of the "Visitor Area". On the south side of the market hall underneath the organically curved form accommodating the offices, the ribbon acts as entrance foyer with reception, visitor centre and other central functions, before continuing to meander through the park and reaching the bank of the Main River where it ends in a pedestrian bridge with adjacent public cafe. The entire ECB premises could be designed as a landscaped English park, in which the building structure, various paths, groups of trees and other elements can be linked in diverse ways, producing a variety of ‘ensembles’.
The layout of the office floors conforms to the required layout depths of 14.20 m wherever this appears to be sensible. In some areas the building is more voluminous, accommodating both access and special areas. Generous winter gardens extending over several stories are connected via vertical stairs.”