The client of Kölling Architects secured a prime Frankfurt address—directly across from the Alte Oper in the architecturally distinctive Opernplatz XIV complex, a landmark that seamlessly integrates hotel, dining, workspace, and leisure. As a leader in real estate investment banking, the firm demanded nothing less than exceptional standards for its new office: sophisticated design coupled with cutting-edge technical systems.

Kölling Architekten, in collaboration with unlimited Architekten, transformed 250 m² into a flowing open-plan workspace. Soaring 2.97 meters high, the office frames views of the Renaissance façade across the street—a deliberate gesture to make the Alte Oper's beauty and warm beige-sandstone palette an integral part of the working environment. Oak herringbone flooring and complementary wood accents echo the historic building's color story while introducing a tactile, contemporary sensibility to the space.

Sixteen workstations provide all the essentials for modern work, while a café and lounge foster collaboration and connection. Precisely finished built-in furnishings and walls in restrained petrol blue and soft blue-grey, paired with fabric-wrapped media cabinetry in understated grey-beige, visually and functionally define distinct work zones. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls—enclosing a conference room and a compact meeting/copy area—deliver superior acoustic control while maintaining visual openness. Suspended fabric ceiling panels serve dual purposes: they frame the window-facing work areas while absorbing sound, and they strategically house lighting, emergency lighting, sprinklers, and smoke detectors within a sleek black rail system, neatly concealing the technical infrastructure of the ceiling above.

The double-layered glass walls of the meeting rooms deliver exceptional sound isolation without sacrificing the spacious, transparent atmosphere the design achieves. When confidentiality is essential—say, during sensitive negotiations—an electronically dimmable privacy film instantly transforms the glass into an opaque barrier. The sanitary facilities are thoughtfully positioned along the interior courtyard wall, economically organizing the office entry sequence while meeting stringent fire safety standards through a dual-access vestibule system.

www.koellingarchitekten.com

Photography Credits:

Moritz Bernoully
www.moritzbernoully.com

(Published in CUBE Frankfurt 04|21)