For 140 years, the Rheinische Gummiwarenfabrik—founded by Franz Clouth—shaped Cologne's industrial landscape. When production ceased in 2005, the city acquired the 14.5-hectare site in Nippes and entrusted its redevelopment to "moderne stadt," a municipal planning firm. Through an urban design competition, a masterplan emerged for the Clouth Quarter: over 1,200 new residences alongside studios, restaurants, and commercial spaces. Stefan Forster Architects from Frankfurt am Main seized one of the final building sites to design a 77-unit rental complex stretching nearly 100 meters in length. Each floor groups two four-room units and two two-room units around a central stairwell and elevator. The larger units were strategically positioned to allow through-access on both facades.

The residential block anchors the heart of the new quarter at Luftschiff-Platz, a generously landscaped public space that has flourished with gardens, open-air zones, and play areas. Built on an L-shaped footprint, the design dialogues with facing buildings to create the impression of a fragmented perimeter block. The five-story façade gains rhythm through recessed sections carved into the uppermost level, which steps back as a staggered story. This approach reveals each house's distinct identity while breaking the length into legible proportions—a strategy that simultaneously establishes a strong sense of address. With approximately 8,000 m² of usable floor area, the development distinguishes itself through refined materials and meticulous detailing, particularly in its nuanced façade composition. Warm dark-brown clinker brick serves as solid masonry at street level, transitioning to the same material in a thinner profile above. The brickwork creates a dynamic rhythm: smooth and textured surfaces alternate in both vertical and horizontal directions, while projecting brick bands articulate each story with pronounced plasticity. The interplay of recessed loggias and set-back terraces on the roofscapes further animates the façade, creating visual depth and complexity.

www.sfa.de

Photography Credits:

Lisa Farkas
www.lisafarkas.de

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 03|21)