CHAIR OF ARCHITECTURE
AND URBAN DESIGN —
PROF. KEES CHRISTIAANSE

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RESEARCH

BRANDHUBS

Strategies of Corporate Architecture and Urban Design within Brandhubs

 

elective: Brandhubs.1

elective: Brandhubs.2

 

 

Abstract

This project explores the impact of an emerging “society of experience” on urban space. The generic globalized city is being gradually transformed into multifaceted spaces of experience. As the role of public authorities in the creation of public space decreases, brand-name corporations increasingly positioning themselves as “urban visionaries”, inserting ‘Brandhubs’ into the urban fabric as part of their global marketing strategies. Brandhubs are comprehensive mixed-use developments that create a new identity which is simultaneously commercial and public. This paradoxical model is nonetheless (re-)activating the city, mostly successfully, but not always in a sustainable manner. The project has built up several case studies of European Brandhubs: Daimler City and Sony Center Berlin, VW Erlebniswelt Wolfsburg, Migros Westside Berne, adidas Herzobase Herzogenaurach, ETH Science City, Hugo Bosstown Metzingen, and the distrubuted Prada Universe. The various public and private actors of these case studies comprise the primary sources of the research itself as well as a series of seminars. This exchange between teaching, research and practice aims to develop a critical analysis of this new urban phenomenon and ultimately inform more sustainable design strategies, which creatively integrate sociocultural values with commercial and functional parameters.

 

Case study 1: Daimler City/ "Potsdamer Platz" Berlin 

Case study 2: Sony Center Berlin 

Case study 3: VW ErlebnisWelt Wolfsburg 

Case study 4: Migros WESTside Bern 

Case study 5: adidas Herzobase Herzogenaurach

Case study 6: ETH Science City Zürich 

Case study 7: Hugo Bosstown/ Mega-Brandhub Metzingen

Case study 8: Prada Universe 

 

publications

 

• Christiaanse, Kees, Kerstin Höger Corporate Urbanism and Sustainability (pdf) , in: Built Identity – Swiss Re's Corporate Architecture, Basel, Boston, Berlin: Birkhäuser – Publishers for Architecture, 2006.
• Höger, Kerstin, From HUBs to MUDs: Reflections on high-density (pdf), in: Christiaanse, Kees et al. (ed.): Situation / KCAP, Basel, Boston, Berlin/ Rotterdam: Birkhäuser/ NAi, 2005.
• Höger, Kerstin, Brandhubs: Calalysts of responsive urban design (pdf), in: Christiaanse, Kees et al., Entwurf und Strategie im urbanen Raum: Die Programmlose Stadt, Textsammlung zur Vorlesungreihe Studienjahr 2003/04, p.125. 
• Höger, Kerstin, Emerging Corporate Urbanism in Europe: Developing responsive urban design strategies within Brandhubs, ETH-internal research project 2, revised and shortend version, 12/2003 
• Höger, Kerstin, Emerging Corporate Urbanism in Europe: Responsive Strategies within Brandhubs in the Experience Society Developing (pdf)
• ETH-internal research proposal, orginal long version, 10/2003
• http://www.brandhubs.com/

 

Kerstin Höger, research 2002-2009

ETH-internal research project since 2004

Advisors: Prof. Kees Chrisiaanse, Prof. Franz Oswald, Prof. Dr. Werner Sewing