Topping out ceremony for Forum Duisburg (DE/NL)

On Friday 14 September 2007, Multi Development has organized a topping out ceremony to mark the completion of the highest point of the €210-million 'Forum' inner city shopping center in Duisburg, Germany. The official opening is slated for September 2008. The building will be home to 90 stores spread over 57,000 m².










'Forum' inner city shopping center.


Over 85% 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 m², 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 centers in North Rhine-Westphalia. The developer, Multi Development, spent three years planning and constructing the project, and invested approximately €210 million. 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 center as part of the shopping center. Spanning four stories, 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 center 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 innercity revitalisation projects. The Forum project aims to deliver Germany's foremost integrated city-center shopping experience.

Source: Multi

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