New construction Kröpcke Center, Hanover | Germany

Since summer 2008, ZWP has been participating in the planning for the conversion and enlargement of the Kröpcke Center in Hanover. A central feature in downtown Hanover, the Kröpcke Center is located directly over a main subway station that is linked to the city’s central railway station (Hauptbahnhof) via an underground pedestrian passageway. The Kröpcke Center has a total of 6 basement levels (thereby extending deeper underground than any other building in Hanover) and 12 above-ground floors. The project calls for the facility, which dates from the 1970s, to be brought into line with the modern demand for lease space. Architects Kleihues + Kleihues, and ZWP, are currently engaged in planning for the relevant adaptations. The facility’s lower floors (up to the third floor), will consist of sales space, while its higher floors (up to the twelfth floor) will comprise office space.
As part of the conversion, the building will be completely gutted, in a measure that will include removal of its outdated building services systems. In addition, the above-ground structure’s gross floor area will be enlarged, to a total of 45,000 sqm. The façade will also be completely modernised and brought into line with the latest standards. In connection with the enlargement, part of the underground pedestrian passageway will be closed. Needless to say, the additional safety requirements arising through that measure – primarily, installation of smoke removal systems – will also be met. Current planning calls for installation of 100,000 m³/h of smoke-removal capacity per smoke compartment. Construction on the project is to begin in spring 2009. Sales space in the facility will become available by summer 2011.

Images: © Stefan Müller