Hall 1 is being extended towards Exhibition Square by a new building that will have three exhibition storeys. The former building next to the car park is being replaced by a three-storey hall complex, with a multifunctional event hall on the ground floor. The two new hall complexes will be linked via a two-storey building above Exhibition Square. The big continuous exhibition surfaces of our new halls will make our exhibition site even more compact, thus ensuring a greater level of convenience for our visitors.
With its new buildings, Messe Basel will have an exhibition area of 141 000m². The whole of the new structure will be able to accommodate multi-storey stands in the same way as the existing Hall 1. At ground level, a multifunctional Event Hall is being added, which will hold up to 2500 people. The City Lounge – that part of Exhibition Square which is being built over – will form a new, inviting centre available for use by third parties, constituting an attraction for the public too.
The new hall buildings will satisfy high energy standards, both in respect of the insulation of the shell and when it comes to providing the necessary heat and cold energy in a manner that is sparing on resources. A photovoltaic array is to be installed on the roof, which will also be greened over.
Construction schedule
A start will be made on the main construction work after Art Basel 2011. From June 2011 to December 2011 the basic supports for the new building will first be put in place and then the building over Exhibition Square constructed, including the City Lounge and the two exhibition storeys (steel structure, concrete elements, interior facade and roof).
After BASELWORLD 2012, the second main construction phase will be launched with the gutting of the front building of Hall 1, and Hall 3. After Muba 2012, a start will be made on dismantling these buildings and rebuilding them (steel structure, concrete elements, interior facade and roof). By autumn 2012, the shell of the new building will be “watertight”, then, in the period up to January 2013, the facade will be built, with the interior construction being carried out in parallel and subsequent to this.
Owner: MCH Messe Basel
Architect: Herzog & de Meuron
Sole contractor: HRS Real Estate AG