For a long time, the gap between a multicultural residential area and a commercial location in the Mülheim district on the right bank of the Rhine lay fallow. In close coordination with the City of Cologne, a workshop process was carried out on Schanzenstrasse until 2015, from which the design by RKW Architektur + and FSWLA Landschaftsarchitektur emerged as the winner. The I/D Cologne master plan allows for around 160,000 m² of office space to be created at the location in the Schanzenviertel. The first construction phase, developed by Art-Invest Real Estate and Osmab Holding, fills the urban void with the Haus am Platz and the Patio-Haus - the latter was specially developed for the working environment of a coworking space company.     

Opposite the listed building of the wire manufacturer Felten & Guilleaume, the first two buildings of I/D Cologne are located on a new quarter square. The industrial neighborhood - Carlswerk, E-Werk and Palladium are also not far away - became the inspiration for a timeless architectural language. Both buildings form a common perimeter block development with the same storey height and yet are clearly separated from each other in reality. The clinker brick façades make them appear similar on the one hand, while on the other they are differentiated from each other by the different structure - horizontally in one, vertically in the other. The northern building also catches the eye with its expressive projections and recesses and raised rows of bricks, while the southern building has a more sober and elegant appearance. "The choice of clinker brick as a material was not just a reference to the surroundings. We also wanted to convey value and durability with the help of clean details and clear structures," explains Christian Hein, project manager at RKW Architektur +. The interiors are designed in a similar industrial style to the façades: Exposed, untreated rough concrete, open installations, galvanized steel and end-grain wood parquet are the defining elements of both buildings. Also inspired by the neighboring historic wire works, the building lettering was also designed in a wire typeface. In this way, the industrial tradition of Schanzenstrasse is harmoniously carried into the future. The two buildings were recently awarded LEED Gold certification for their sustainable construction and operation.

www.rkw.plus

Photos:

Ralph Richter

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 03|22)