Höfe am Brühl

Höfe am Brühl shopping centre represents one of the most important urban districts in the historic city of Leipzig.  Its development presented an opportunity to give the northern boundary of Leipzig Old Town a new urban character. This ambitious project was opened in September 2012. 

The new shopping centre was constructed on historic ground on Brühl Street: the exact site of Richard Wagner’s birthplace and, later, the affectionately nicknamed “Blechbüchse”, or “Tin Can” – a department store with a very distinctive aluminium façade. Over 110 shops with a combined retail area of 27,500 m2 bring together retail, services, gastronomy, quality living, art and culture.

Placed at a most central and prominent historical location of northern boundary of Leipzig Old Town between main train station and inner city pedestrian zone. Bus and tram station are located directly in front of the entrance with 30,000 passengers boarding and transferring here every day.

Perfect urban development concept with regeneration of urban public space respecting the historical density of the surrounding area in specific architecture, interior design and landscaping of outer area. 

Built in an area steeped in tradition, the arcade is divided into four areas of different themes, which also differ from each other in the design of their facades. Alongside the restored, listed metal facades, there are also impressive, digitally printed facades from Thiele Glas. Aluminium façade and a 15-metre wide section of the façade dating from 1908 in the Wilhelminian era, were integrated into the new building. 

The interior of the “Höfe” opens up a glamorous shopping and experience world made of steel and glass cubes. The concept of the theme courtyards is the heart of the interior design of the “Höfe am Brühl”. Moreover, the play with different building heights and the integration of the four courtyards into the urbane passage system proves to be of extraordinary quality which gives a completely different appearance to a German downtown Shopping Center.  “fantastic four” courtyards, each of which bears an historical name, has a special theme, with a view to the ever more different customer structures, and represents various worlds of style and experience which are reflected by the tenants in their shop and lighting concepts.

The large building volume is broken up into numerous individual units, headed by the listed façade of the largest department store in former East Germany which is a legendary symbol of German reunification. 31 apartments are available to rent above the retail levels in the Shopping Center. Eight ground-floor entrances, the gastronomy with outdoor seating flowing onto the Richard-Wagner-Platz and the pedestrian zone and individual shop entrances directly from the street optimally connect the “Höfe” with the surrounding area.  820 parking spaces are situated on the 2nd and 3rd level.