J. Mayer H. Architects has been announced as the the winning firm to carry out the proposal for ‘Volt Berlin’ – a new mixed-use development in Berlin’s city centre.
Volt Berlin aims to be a new concept for shopping and urban experience within Germany’s capital. Situated near Alexanderplatz, the site is more about providing an exhilarating adventure for the visitor, than reliving the normal confines of a shopping mall.
The development will consist of around 7,500sq m (24,606sq ft) of hotel space and 13,000sq m (42,650sq ft) of retail space and will also offer extreme sports on its main entrance level. This intermediate space will host the centre’s most important attractions: indoor-skydiving and a surf wave.
Organised in several different boxes on an uneven grid system, the envisaged designs look striking, this assemblage sets out to mirror the architects overarching concept for the site.
The practice commented that "The experience cluster is a fusion concept combining a multi-brand store, various experiential offerings, events, and a hotel, and is directed towards adventurous visitors with a focus on a smart urban lifestyle."
Attractions are becoming an ever growing presence in the retail world with the hope of increasing footfall in such environments. With construction expected to start on Volt Berlin at some point in 2015, the approximate 30,000sq m (98,425sq ft) of development looks set to offer a strong indication of whether attractions are able to entice people through mixed-use doors.
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