Rathausterrassen Weilburg

The project site is an important open space in the dense medieval Weilburg city centre located on the ridge of a hill, where the small town structure still remains clearly readable in its contrast to the walls and the steep landscape of the surrounding river valley.

Project Details +

Project Details

LOCATION: Weilburg, Germany
CLIENT: City of Weilburg with private investor
DATE: 2008 - 2009
STATUS: Shortlisted competition, 2nd price of Jury, 1st prize of voting public
SIZE: GIA 19,200 m², with 6000 m² retail, 2000 m² residential, 1200 m² doctors house, and 280 parking lots

Credits +

Credits

ACME: Julia Cano, Kelvin Chu, Sebastian Drewes, Deena Fakhro, Michael Haller, Isabel de la Mora, Friedrich Ludewig, Andreas Reeg, Teresa Yeh 



The project develops the typology of terraced landscape buildings in a contemporary form. A building as an integral part of the landscape may have a very urban character on one sides while integrating into the landscape on the other. In this way, a lively shopping frontage is generated towards the old city centre, while the building on the River side merges with the scenic steep walls.

Existing open site condition after carpark demolition

Ramped passage between city wall and new buidling

Cuts for view down onto the river

Roof converted to city park terraces

The project provides the required functions in a structured massing, where its vertical cuts serve as visual relations and public routes between city centre and river, which are consequently integrated into the facade design. The design proposes to integrate gastronomy, high value housing and a doctors house seamlessly into the project.

While all the retail space orientates towards the city centre, the other functions are at different positions, each south-oriented, to benefit from the outstanding view into the river valley. The multitude of different uses ensures that the complex contributes at many levels to the vitality of the old centre of Weilburg.

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