Taking the overall form of a large V-shape, like a peace sign pointing at the Düsseldorf skyline, Snøhetta's envisioned "dancing" towers are designed so they don't cast too much shade on the immediate area. The pair of buildings will be situated above a new opera house that will be defined by a stunning sculpted timber interior.
Duett Düsseldorf is slated for the German city's center, on a site that already hosts an opera house, which, assuming this project goes ahead, will be demolished and rebuilt anew. The mixed-use scheme will connect to a nearby park, the Rhein river, and a busy street, which is the reason for the towers being required to not cast too much shade. This is an issue that Studio Gang and NBBJ have also sought to mitigate with clever design.
"From the horizontal levels, an unmistakable V-shaped silhouette reaches up towards the sky," explains Snøhetta. "The ensemble of towers changes its silhouette from each new perspective, creating a constantly changing expression reminiscent of a dancing duet. The towers are strategically designed to reduce shading of surrounding areas of the park and neighborhood, while also creating better daylight conditions in the courtyard.
"Focus has been put on creating clear divisions between the functions and providing protection from changing weather conditions, while also ensuring a visual connection and uniform appearance of the building. This is enabled through a layered glass facade with different scaling and transparency. Contrasting an opaquer outward-facing tower facade, the inward-facing facades are mostly self-shaded and therefore allow for a high level of transparency and interaction with the public on the roofscape."
The towers will rise out of a publicly accessible rooftop terrace area (as of writing, we are awaiting word on their expected height, though judging from the renders, they don't look remarkably tall) and will host residential space, a hotel, and office space. The terrace area itself will include greenery and offer views of the city. It will also be used as an occasional performance space.
The new opera house will be situated within the low-rise building that supports the towers and will feature glazed facades and an eye-catching wooden interior. Inside a cafe, visitors will be able to sip their cappuccino and gaze at the choir and orchestra rehearsal rooms, as the performers practice. A large two-story ballet rehearsal space will be more private, but can also be opened up to visitors, when desired.
The project was commissioned by Centrum Group. We've no word yet on when it's expected to be completed.
Source: Snøhetta