Nürnberg Fair

BRIEF: Conference room for 1000 participants, extension of the fair entryway.

ADDED VALUE: The construction of an additional conference room and the extension of the foyer entrance would eliminate the capacity bottleneck of the fair, but it would only be adding an extra component to the 1960s building. With its 250 meter long louvered roof, the design additionally creates a mega-sign that fulfills multiple functions simultaneously: it organizes the various parts; it provides a unique address; it connects the interior with the exterior space and defines an “urban foyer” that extends the main foyer from the forecourt to the entrance to the new fair park.

The existing center entrance to the Nürnberg Fair is inappropriate in its “role” as the main entrance: the narrow entrance lobby is difficult to recognize from the exterior and leads into a completely unclear building configuration. The new louvered roof can be seen even from far away, acting as a sign which connects various exterior and interior spaces and spans across the entrance area connecting the subway, taxi drop-off, and bus stop, and marks the main entrance to the Nürnberg Fair. A loggia located underneath the louvered canopy protects the visitors from the rain and greets them with a light-flooded central entrance hall, from where the different exhibition halls, congress areas, and central park can be accessed. The new multifunctional congress hall appears to float within the entrance hall. The lavish main staircase and the front foyer present a pristine view onto the bustling activity of the loggia and conveniently connects the existing the congress areas.

Typology
trade fair

Construction volume
gfa 19.150sqm

Cubature
102.300m³

Client
NürnbergMesse GmbH

Realization
2009-2010

Competition
1st prize 2007

Project managers
Burkhard Floors, Jasna Moritz

Photographer
Gerhard Hagen