The New South Entrance: Nicer, Bigger, Brighter

With Hall 1 and the new South Entrance, Messe Düsseldorf has created a modern venue directly on the banks of the Rhine with a view of the city. Since its completion in 2020, the building with its pointed canopy has become a real emblem of the company.

The modernization of Hall 1 and the South Entrance was part of Messe Düsseldorf’s master plan. Between 2017 and 2020, the company carried out extensive modernization work on the building. Two small old halls were thus transformed into a modern, column-free multifunctional hall. The investment volume, including the plaza in the front, amounted to €140 million – as always at Messe Düsseldorf without any subsidies. 

One highlight is the 7,800-square-meter, approximately 20-meter-high, translucent canopy. Measuring 170 meters in length and 93 meters in width, it offers plenty of space for trade show and convention guests even before they reach the actual venue and event rooms. The building’s interior is equally impressive. Hall 1 and the South Entrance meet the latest energy and resource efficiency standards – from lighting to heating and ventilation concepts to demand-based control of compressed air levels.

The South Entrance has an 82-meter-long, all-glass front facing the plaza. With over 2,000 square meters of space, it has room for all the necessary services, like ticket offices and coat check. On the upper floor, a glass-fronted conference room extends into the foyer, offering views of the entrance area and the plaza. The entire foyer can also be used as an event venue. The covered plaza provides access to an underground parking garage with 300 spaces, as well as to a bus stop and taxi stands.  

From a technical perspective, the new hall conforms with the high standards of the entire Exhibition Center site. Access is provided via seven gates. Suspensions from the hall ceiling are possible, and booths can be supplied via the hall floor. For pedestrians, the hall is connected to the neighboring CCD South. In addition to the connection to Halls 3 and 4, a main corridor leads from the South Entrance directly to the rest of the Exhibition Center. 

A total of six conference rooms with 200 square meters for 198 people each are available on the hall’s upper floor. All rooms can be divided down the middle, making them even more flexible. Moreover, the hall itself can be used as an event venue outside of trade shows; in a row-seating configuration, for example, it can accommodate up to 10,000 people.