The eleven-storey high-rise building of the Düsseldorf Chamber of Industry and Commerce, located near Berliner Allee and Immermannstraße, has been a prominent feature of Düsseldorf city centre since 1954. The building, which was last completely renovated in the mid-1990s, has now undergone structural and technical refurbishment of the meeting and conference areas as part of a modernisation of the ventilation technology. Lindner Architekten from Düsseldorf gave both the Ernst Schneider Hall and other conference and seminar rooms a contemporary feel-good character, which also optimises room structures and allows for more flexible use.

On the ground floor, the Ernst Schneider Hall, which had previously been very functionally equipped, was first completely gutted. In addition to the floor, all suspended ceilings were also removed. The clear ceiling height of 5.80 metres was deliberately retained during the renovation. All building services installations concealed in the technical ceiling – lighting, air conditioning, audio technology and sprinkler system – were left exposed and visible. Only one side of the hall retained its low ceiling height: the previously somewhat vaguely defined "Cafépoint" was transformed into a "Blue Room" with flexible seating niches, warm natural felt on the walls and comfortable lounge seating. Delicate wooden sliding doors in contrasting black allow this retreat to be flexibly separated without losing much daylight. A "First Meet" area was also created in the raised entrance area of the hall: a modular room shelf defines a new interface between stay and access. From the outset, it was important to the client that no false impression was created: "As a chamber of crafts, we are there for both small craft businesses and large global corporations," emphasises Jan Dirk Hennig, deputy managing director of the Düsseldorf Chamber of Industry and Commerce, who oversaw the renovation from the initial planning in 2022 to its completion in January 2025. He is pleased that the project remained within budget and was completed on time – despite delivery bottlenecks after Corona. "Instead of opulence, the aim was to create an honest, thoroughly transparent interior," adds Daniel Schwecke, managing partner at Lindner Architekten. "You get what you see" is the guiding principle behind the renovation – evident in the open ceilings as well as in the wood and fabric materials, which have been traditionally crafted and at the same time take into account sustainable, long-term usage aspects. The same mix of materials and furniture has also been used on the third floor, where further conference and seminar rooms are located. The entire public conference area now presents a harmonious image for the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and its partners across all floors.

www.lindner-architekten.de

Photos:
Chris Rausch
www.chrisrausch.de

(Published in CUBE Düsseldorf 04|25)