A vacant lot west of Melaten Cemetery once housed a petrol station. Cologne-based architects Nebel Pössl Architekten have filled this gap in the street wall with a three-storey residential building crowned by a setback fourth floor. The result bridges the urban edge and inner courtyard with equal ease – simultaneously vibrant and serene.

Nestled between individual residential buildings on the left and the eight-story Lindenthal district hall on the right, the new building opens to the south toward the heavily trafficked Aachener Straße, while its northern façade overlooks a quieter interior courtyard. Responding to its urban context, the building features a serene stone façade in warm gray, punctuated by floor-to-ceiling anodized aluminum windows. Their steady cadence is interrupted by a striking two-story loggia spanning the second and third floors. The daycare center—accommodating four groups split between infant and preschool programs—occupies the entire ground and first floors. Above, 37 furnished apartments totaling approximately 913 m² of living space step back at the fourth floor, respecting the development plan's setback requirements. The street-facing units required exceptional acoustic performance to contend with traffic noise, yet their loggias and terraces reward residents with expansive views across Cologne's southern landscape. The newly constructed underground parking garage connects seamlessly to an adjacent facility, eliminating the need for a separate street-level entrance. Within the daycare's 800 m² footprint, a generous internal staircase links both levels in the foyer, while an external emergency staircase provides direct play-area access from the upper floor. The outdoor grounds transform into a playful learning landscape—natural materials, native plantings, and soft surfaces create an inviting counterpoint to the surrounding urban fabric, offering children a natural space to play and explore.

www.nebelpoessl.de

Photography:

HG Esch
ww.hgesch.de

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 02|24)