Media release | 23 April 2013
Inauguration of the new hall complex at
BASELWORLD
The moment we've all been waiting for is here: today on Tuesday,
23 April 2013, the inauguration ceremony of the new complex at
Messe Basel is being held on the occasion of the opening of
BASELWORLD 2013. After an effective construction time of some 22
months, what has doubtlessly been Basel's most spectacular building
site over the past two years will be consigned to history. All the work
has been completed according to plan and on schedule. Starting on
25 April, BASELWOLRD 2013 will be the first show to be staged in the
new hall complex.
The effective building time for the new hall complex was around 22 months,
divided up into three construction phases in the period from June 2010 to
February 2013. Some 200 building companies were deployed on the site,
and at times there were up to 1200 workmen present every day. The
quantities and weight of the materials used were enormous. And the
number of machines in use was similarly exceptional.
The hall complex, which is 220 metres long, 90 metres wide and 32 metres
high, offers a total of 38,000 square metres of exhibition space on the
ground floor and the two upper floors spanning Exhibition Square. This is
equivalent to the area of six football pitches. All in all, Messe Basel can
offer some 141,000 square metres of exhibition space today, with no fewer
than 74,000 square metres of this being provided by Hall 1.
At the beginning of March, a start was made on the assembly work for the
BASELWORLD Watch and Jewellery Show, which is opening its doors on
25 April 2013. In parallel to this, the third-party uses around the edge of the
City Lounge have been fitted out.
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Congress Center Basel directly linked to the new hall complex
The new hall complex is not only an architectural highlight but also satisfies
the most innovative and demanding of customer wishes through its stateof-the-art facilities. The new Hall and its multifunctional Event Hall with a
generously-dimensioned foyer and gallery is directly linked, via a walkway,
to the Congress Center Basel. Thus, a completely new chapter in the field
of major events in Basel has been opened up. Thanks to the adjacent
exhibition halls, events for up to 10,000 people are now possible. With an
area of some 3300 square metres plus 1500 square metres in the foyer, the
Event Hall offers space for up to 2500 people, while banquets will be
possible for up to 2000 people.
The new Hall 1 complex
The new Hall 1 complex with two upper storeys, which was completed in
2013, extends over Exhibition Square and provides a total of 38,000 square
metres of exhibition space on the ground floor and the two upper floors
taken together. With a hall height of ten metres on the ground floor and
eight metres on the upper floors it can accommodate two and even threestorey stands. On the ground floor to the south of Exhibition Square is the
multifunctional Event Hall, which can be used as exhibition space or for
staging a wide variety of events. Hall 1 is linked directly to Halls 2 to 4 and
also to the Congress Center Basel via overground walkways.
The new hall complex – and the whole of Hall 1 – is accessed from
Exhibition Square through the North and South Foyers in the City Lounge:
the striking feature of the City Lounge is its distinctive atrium. The City
Lounge is also where the tram stop is located, and different publiclyaccessible third-party uses are accommodated around its edge – a
restaurant open every day of the year, a ramen bar, and a kiosk &
takeaway.
Architecture by Herzog & de Meuron
The new building designed by Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron
combines functionality and aesthetics in the ideal manner. The exhibition
site is now more compact, making for considerably more flexible
management and ensuring greater visitor comfort and convenience. At the
New Messe Basel building | Page 3
same time, the new building constitutes an impressive architectural visiting
card.
The key architectural and urban-planning feature of the new hall complex
developed by Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron is the City Lounge.
This is a covered-over public space that can be likened to a railway station
concourse or market hall and is intended to revitalise Exhibition Square.
The open hall not only constitutes the entrance to the exhibitions but is also
intended to become a focus of public life. In architectural terms, the City
Lounge can be regarded as an attempt to turn the inwardly-facing circular
courtyard architecture of Hall 2 (with the big clock) inside out and keep it
open all year round.
The new hall building is made up of three hall elements positioned one on
top of the other. These protrude into the street space to varying extents and
react in different ways to the dissimilar urban conditions that prevail.
The proportions of Exhibition Square have undergone a major change with
the new building. What was previously an elongated rectangle without any
striking spatial structure has now become more or less a square. Together
with the Rosental area, this forms the main outdoor space in the Messe
Basel district, which is also a big residential area at the same time.
Ecology
Great importance was attached to achieving the highest possible energy
efficiency in the new exhibition building. The new complex satisfies high
energy standards both in respect of the insulation of the shell and when it
comes to supplying the necessary heat and cold energy in a manner that is
sparing on resources. All the heating, ventilation and refrigeration systems
are only operated when required, and most of the waste heat is reused.
The Minergie certification office for Basel-Stadt has confirmed that it will be
awarding the new complex the BS-054 Minergie Label. This certificate has
been developed especially for MCH Messe Basel's new building. In
addition, the building meets the targets of SIA standard 380/4 for lighting
and ventilation/air conditioning.
A photovoltaic system is planned for the greened-over roof. Work has
begun on implementing this project now that the new building is ready.
New Messe Basel building | Page 4
Facts and figures new hall complex
Length
Width
Height
220 m
90 m
32 m
Realisation
Investment (overall project)
June 2010 to February 2013
CHF 430 million
Owner
Architect
Overall contractor
MCH Messe Basel
Herzog & de Meuron
HRS Real Estate
Milestones of the new building
May 2006
Architects Herzog & de Meuron submit their
project study.
April 2007
Public application for planning permission,
start of procedure to obtain a building permit.
June and September 2008
Referenda in both Basel cantons, more than
60 percent "yes" votes.
March 2010
Building permit issued for the optimised
building project.
June 2010 to February 2013 Building constructed in 22 months, in three
construction phases.
Media contact
Edith Thalmann
MCH Swiss Exhibition (Basel) Ltd.
Telephone: +41 58 206 31 31
Congress Center Basel
[email protected]
CH-4005 Basel
www.messe.ch | www.congress.ch