The masterplan site is located 1 km south of Strasbourg city centre and the cathedral, on the bank of the canal.
The masterplan is divided into four key areas, focused on the development of the ‘Etoile’ commercial centre and includes a trade centre and hotel as well as 1 million square feet of office space. The scheme unites the individual sites of the ‘Etoile’ development, including areas of housing, the provision of parks and green spaces along the waterway, as well as a revitalised marina and terminal for Rhine cruises. RRP’s development of the masterplan made the new buildings the framework for a large and dramatic covered public space, bridging the river as a deck, featuring two parallel blocks of retail and office units with a central glazed atrium. A hotel to one end of the deck forms a high-rise marker for the development. The broad strategy of the scheme aims to reemphasise the canal-side as a lively public domain.