Search Options
Home Media Explainers Research & Publications Statistics Monetary Policy The €uro Payments & Markets Careers
Suggestions
Sort by
PRESS RELEASE

80 architects selected for the first phase of the ECB's architectural competition

7 April 2003

The international architectural competition launched by the European Central Bank (ECB) in November 2002 (see Press Release of 26 November 2002) attracted applications from more than 300 architects in 31 countries and five continents. Of these, 80 were selected on the basis of the criteria laid down in the Competition Notice. The names of the architects are listed in an annex to this Press Release, and include 70 established architects and ten emerging young architects.

The ECB will now ask the selected applicants to submit a design proposal for the ECB's new premises, to be built on the site of the Grossmarkthalle (wholesale market) in Frankfurt am Main. The new premises will have to meet "the requirements of a modern central bank in the 21st century serving an enlarged euro area", as the ECB's President Willem F. Duisenberg states in the foreword to the Competition Brief to be given to the participating architects. "The design of our future premises should reflect the values we regard as essential to our activities. We are committed to transparency, integrity, excellence and efficiency."

The design proposals will need to reflect the site's history and fit into both the immediate vicinity and Frankfurt's overall urban layout. The Grossmarkthalle, built by the architect Martin Elsässer between 1926 and 1928, is classified as a historical building and will retain its fundamental appearance. There is an initial estimated need for 2,500 workplaces within the new development.

The proposals should also take into account the site's location between two major open spaces, key components of the city's development plan. The site lies adjacent to the green belt ("GrünGürtel") and is close to the River Main. The city's urban planners envisage extending the riverside park, accessible to the public on both banks of the river.

The deadline for the submission of design proposals is 7 July 2003. By mid-September 2003 the international jury, under the chairmanship of the ECB's Vice-President Lucas Papademos (see Press Release of 26 November 2002), will shortlist 12 candidates for the second phase. These architects will then be required to present detailed architectural designs for all buildings on the site. The jury is expected to choose the three winning designs by the end of February 2004. Detailed planning will start thereafter and construction is scheduled for 2005-2008.

New ECB Premises Urban planning and architectural design competition Group of "established" architects

Name City Country
EEA – Erick van Egeraat Rotterdam The Netherlands
3XNielsen Aarhus Denmark
54f architekten / T. R. Hamzah & Yeang Selangor Malaysia
ABB Architekten Frankfurt a.M. Germany
Albert Speer & Partner Frankfurt a.M. Germany
Allan Murray Architects Edinburgh United Kingdom
Architecture-Studio Paris France
ASP Schweger Assoziierte Gesamtplanung GmbH Hamburg Germany
Auer + Weber Architekten Stuttgart Germany
Baumschlager-Eberle / Itten+Brechbühl Lochau Austria
Behnisch, Behnisch & Partner Stuttgart Germany
Benthem Crouwel Amsterdam The Netherlands
Bolles + Wilson Munster Germany
BRT Bothe Richter Teherani Hamburg Germany
COOP HIMMELB(L)AU Vienna Austria
David Chipperfield Architects London United Kingdom
de architectengroep Amsterdam The Netherlands
de Architekten Cie Amsterdam The Netherlands
Dissing+Weitling arkitektfirma a/s Copenhagen Denmark
Dominique Perrault Paris France
E. Miralles, B. Tagliabue Barcelona Spain
Estudio Lamela Madrid Spain
Foster and Partners London United Kingdom
Frank O. Gehry Associates Los Angeles United States
Friis & Moltke a/s and Bystrup Arkitekter Brabrand Denmark
gmp – von Gerkan, Marg und Partner Berlin Germany
Gössler / Haberland Architekten Berlin Germany
Hascher Jehle Architektur Berlin Germany
Heinle, Wischer und Partner Stuttgart Germany
Helin & Co Architects Helsinki Finland
Herzog + Partner Munich Germany
HPP Hentrich-Petschnigg & Partner Dusseldorf Germany
Ingenhoven Overdiek Architekten Dusseldorf Germany
Jourdan & Müller PAS Frankfurt a.M. Germany
K+P Architekten u. Stadtplaner Munich Germany
Kengo Kuma & Associates Tokyo Japan
KHRAS Virum Denmark
Kohn Pedersen Fox London United Kingdom
KSP Engel und Zimmermann GmbH Frankfurt a.M. Germany
Llewelyn-Davies London United Kingdom
Maki and Associates Tokyo Japan
mecanoo architects Delft The Netherlands
Meyer en Van Schooten Architecten Amsterdam The Netherlands
Morphosis Los Angeles United States
Murphy Jahn Chicago United States
MVRDV Rotterdam The Netherlands
Neumann & Steiner Vienna Austria
Neutelings Riedijk Architecten Rotterdam The Netherlands
OMA Rotterdam The Netherlands
Ortner & Ortner Baukunst GmbH Berlin Germany
Paul Andreu Architecte / ADP Ingénierie Paris France
Petzinka Pink Architekten Dusseldorf Germany
Prof. Boris Podrecca Vienna Austria
Rafael Vinoly Architects New York United States
RHWL Architects London United Kingdom
Richard Rogers Partnership London United Kingdom
RKW Architektur + Städtebau GmbH & Co. KG Dusseldorf Germany
Rocco Design Ltd. Hong Kong China
Sam Stephenson / Traynor O'Toole Dublin Ireland
Samyn and Partners Brussels Belgium
schneider + schumacher Frankfurt a.M. Germany
SIAT GmbH Munich Germany
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill / NHT + Partner New York United States
Steidle und Partner Munich Germany
Studio Valle Progettazioni Rome Italy
Tp bennett London United Kingdom
United Architects / UN Studio Amsterdam The Netherlands
Valode et Pistre Paris France
van den Valentyn Cologne Germany
Vasconi Associés Architectes Paris France

Group of "emerging young" architects

Name City Country
ARGE – LOVE / LOMA Graz/Kassel Austria
Barkow Leibinger Architekten Berlin Germany
Bucholz/McEvoy Architects Dublin Ireland
Delugan_Meissl Vienna Austria
Grüntuch/Ernst Architekten Berlin Germany
IaN+ Rome Italy
Jakob + McFarlane Paris France
NOX Rotterdam The Netherlands
Pysall-Ruge Architekten Berlin Germany
VIIVA arkkitehtuuri Turku Finland
CONTACT

European Central Bank

Directorate General Communications

Reproduction is permitted provided that the source is acknowledged.

Media contacts