satis&fy Hanau

CITY-CENTER TRANSFORMATION 2.0

COME TOGETHER: STADTHOF HANAU

On March 13, 2025, the staged metamorphosis “From Kaufhof to Stadthof” will reach its next milestone: the centerpiece of the building will be opened by Klara Geywitz, the Federal Minister of Building, and Claus Kaminsky, the Lord Mayor of Hanau.

The transformation from a consumer temple to a place for experiences, inspiration and encounters is one of the most exciting inner-city transformation processes in Germany – a flagship project for the city center of the future.

The traditional “turnover per square meter” has been boldly replaced by the formula “experience per square meter”. And so, from March 13, 2025, the ground floor of the Stadthof will present itself as a diverse, inspiring breeding ground for new sensory impressions and communication, for people to come together, for culture, encounters, retail, exchange and new ideas – and not least to combat loneliness.

PROCESS INSTEAD OF DOWNTIME

If you want to shape city centers for the future, you can’t think statically. Then you would be cementing a standstill, you would only be postponing the problems until they come to light again.

The city of Hanau and satis&fy have defined the process character of the Stadthof project as an integral part of the concept. The Stadthof should remain versatile and vibrant – with the involvement of citizens and flexible use for the entire building. This is how participation and inner-city life are created. Because: if a city center is to change, it can only be done with the interest of the people in it. Excitement and curiosity must be created.

The focal point of the Stadthof is therefore the hybrid agora – on the one hand, the central meeting area and, on the other, a usable event platform. 21 stores surround it, offering a wide range of products: from toys to the “Creativo Design Space” to special dog products. The shop facades all look completely different, reflecting the diversity of Hanau. Everything spreads the atmosphere of a big invitation.

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METAMORPHOSIS AS STAGING

After presenting our concept for the Stadthof in December 2023, we began to give the building’s façade a new look as early as March 2024. The aim: to arouse curiosity and show that something is happening. Shop windows were creatively wrapped, facade laminations were applied, illuminations attracted further attention, peepholes allowed curious glances into the interior of the building. Today, the shop windows display AI-generated images of creatively transformed historical buildings in Hanau.

But of course, the main focus was also on the interior of the building. We set up a production office on site to coordinate our work as quickly as possible. This included:

  • a complete restructuring of the ground floor. Moving away from the functional department store look to a place with alleys and squares to discover.
  • completely new floors on the entire ground floor
  • new lighting, sound and video technology
  • Design of the Agora including stage, grandstand, seating and new ceiling
  • Store construction in all its facets with 21 individual stores
  • Numerous art interventions throughout the ground floor

All this, despite all the prophecies of doom, in record speed from November 2024 to March 2025. Our one-stop solution from the idea to the conception to the implementation made it possible.

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HANAU, BUT WOW!

Hanau is the first city in Germany to implement such a courageous concept. We are very pleased that our vision of the city center of the future has fallen on fertile ground here. Representatives of the city had caught wind of our ideas at our own Urban Future Festival S.O.U.P., and were inspired and enthusiastic. They then approached us with their visionary idea. Our common basis from the outset: agile people with vision, a willingness to make decisions and a hands-on mentality.

VISIT, ADMIRE, ENJOY

March 13, 2025, from 10 a.m.
Official opening of the Stadthof Hanau
by Klara Geywitz, the Federal Minister of Building, and Lord Mayor Claus Kaminsky, and the starting signal for three days of events in the entire Hanau city center

Stadthof Hanau
Am Markt 2
63450 Hanau

All information about the grand opening on the website of the Stadthof.

satis&fy Hanau

Photos: Anna Imm \ Sven Bierwirt