Approximately two and a half years after a grand ceremony launched construction, Aquis Plaza with its 130 specialty stores, restaurants, cafés and service providers, has opened its doors to the public.
The €290 mln project, delivered by the project partners ECE and STRABAG Real Estate, comprises a sales area of approx. 29,200 m², 33 apartments, and about 600 parking spaces. Approximately 700 people will work in the centre.
The gallery's architectural concept focused on high-quality and elegant design influenced by ancient history. The soft shapes of the outer facade and inside the centre reflect Aachen's thermal bathing tradition. The name Aquis Plaza derives from the ancient name for Aachen, “Aquis Granum”. The shopping gallery is located in the city centre of Aachen and serves a catchment area in the border triangle between Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands with 1.2 million inhabitants.
Marcel Philipp, Lord Mayor of Aachen, commented: “I like the high-quality design and the modern concept. I am sure that the shopping centre be well-received. It enriches the city centre and will bring economic stimulus to Aachen. Moreover, it considerably enhances the area around Kaiserplatz. Aachen will gain even more significance as a shopping destination, especially for the surrounding region.”
Alexander Otto, CEO of ECE, said: “Aquis Plaza is setting new standards in urban development and modern architecture. Visitors to the centre can look forward to a unique shopping experience with diverse modern and innovative services.
“Aquis Plaza will renew the retail landscape in Aachen, from a local and regional perspective. Its large catchment area will bring new purchase power to the city and have a positive impact on the city center,” added Thomas Hohwieler, managing director at STRABAG Real Estate
ECE has designed a balanced branch and tenant mix for the sales area on three shopping levels – among them various fashion and restaurant concepts. Among the anchor tenants are Saturn, SportScheck, Reserved, Rewe and ZARA.
70% of the retailers at Aquis Plaza will open their first stores in the city; among them are Thomas Sabo, Olymp, Fynch Hatton, Salamander Schuhe (shoe store), Levi’s, G-Star, JD Sports, Skechers, Review and G-Star Raw. The centre also features further international brands such as ZARA Home, Pull & Bear, Bershka, Liebeskind, and Veritas, a fashion accessories retailer from Belgium, who will open its second store in Germany.
With food and beverage having recently being revealed as a significant lure for visitors to shopping centres by CBRE, Aquis Plaza has focused on creating a culinary meeting place. The food court provides customers with a range of exciting and diverse culinary offers with approximately 500 seats and 12 different food retailers. In addition to the food court, there are three large restaurant areas on the first floor of Aquis Plaza.
The centre also benefits from a broad range of integrated technological services. Facilities such as a digital 3D guiding system and Google Maps help visitors to navigate through the centre, whilst a tactile plan guides visually impaired visitors though the centre. The centre also offers convenient parking services, such as the Easy-to-park card for ticket-less parking and cashless parking, the Car Finder, or the parking guidance system, which clearly shows available parking spaces. Furthermore, the centre offers free WiFi, a centre app, a Selfie Photo Box, a customer lounge, and a kids' playground in the food court. Innovative multisensory installations are also used for the first time, consisting of sounds, scents, and lights which will appeal to the visitors immediately on entering the centre and create a feel-good atmosphere.
Source: ECE
