A Sense of Arrival
Dreilander Galerie - Weil am Rhein
Located in the southwestern corner of Germany, where Germany, France and Switzerland meet, Weil am Rhein sits on the east bank of the river Rhine, close to Basel. Appropriately, Dreilander Galerie translates to "Three Countries Gallery". Owned by CEMAGG Weil am Rhein GmbH, the mall is intended to attract visitors from across the Swiss border via the Basel tramline, which terminates at Europaplatz outside the building.
The work of Chapman Taylor architects Dusseldorf studio, Dreilander Galerie is a modern high-end retail destination that opened in 2022 in a prime community location. The Chapman Taylor design has created a distinctive and visually self-confident urban landmark. The organic form makes use of continuous curving lines which soften the size of the structure, as do the perforated cladding panels and the detail in the panel edges which are true curves and not segmented.
A self-proclaimed shopping paradise, the centre brings together international brands, everyday essentials and quality food and beverage offerings.
This modern building is limited in height to three levels, in an architectural environment that values heritage. Its façade lighting was required to meet equally stringent environmental and planning requirements.
illumination Physics collaborated with Doreen Stephan of Scott Lighting Design for more than a year to create a façade lighting solution that complemented the architecture while respecting the site's environmental requirements.
The western and northen façades of Dreilander Galerie have no significant visibility. Instead, the southeast corner overlooking Europaplatz forms the project's defining public face and the primary arrival point for visitors.
Several lighting concepts were developed and presented to the client before a final scheme was selected.
The chosen design was the striking treatment of the transparent façade atop the main entrance. The use of a powerful RGBW linear upplight brings the now crystalline structure to life, creating a striking entrance feature that showcases the architecture and guides visitors inside.
