Basel, 21 September 2009 The architecture of the new Erlenmatt Galerie shopping centre in the Erlenmatt district has been decided. The project's partners Vivico, Multi Development Switzerland AG and the Canton Basel City decided on the design by the Basel firm Miller & Maranta. On the basis of this, building notification is now expected, so that in the second half of 2010 construction can begin on the Erlenmatt Galerie.
Initially an architecture competition was held with eight participants, from which two designs were selected for further development at the beginning of 2009. The offices of Miller & Maranta in Basel, as well as Richter et Dahl Rocha in Lausanne, were faced with the challenge, among others, of laying down the design of the façade and working out synergy effects between the outer form and the inner life of Erlenmatt Galerie. Miller & Maranta made the decision easy.
Fritz Schumacher, cantonal master builder in Basel, justified the jury's decision: "Façade and design of the structure are characterised by very individual, powerful, and yet finely designed construction elements. The project conveys a very well proportioned building that is well suited for honouring the demands on a new, striking city component. The building represents its utilizations in an ideal manner, the ground floor is generously open plan and delivers a balanced ratio of massiveness and transparency."
Bernhard H. Hansen, CEO of Vivico, stressed: "After the apartments in the Erlentor, we are very happy to take the next integral step towards the Erlenmatt. We will create shopping, eating and leisure opportunities for both present and future residents and neighbours of the Erlenmatt. At the same time the new shopping centre will expand the facilities of the Kleinbasel area. The architecture, which has been designed together with the canton, paves the way for a rapid start to construction."
The Erlenmatt Galerie will be home to around 27,000 square metres of retail, food and leisure space as well as a hotel with over 200 rooms. There will also be 600 underground parking spaces. Axel Funke, president of the governing board of Multi Development Switzerland AG, explained: "The shopping centre will offer an attractive, internationally-aimed retail area that will appropriately complement the offering already available in Basel. With a total leased area of around 6000 square metres, Peek & Cloppenburg have already been secured as anchor tenant. The interest in the retail space is so great that contracts will soon be settled with further tenants. The competition result will also make a positive contribution to this. Excellent and intensive cooperation with the canton means an enormous contribution to the city's development will be made and the integration of the project into the city's structure will be assured."

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