Since 2023, we have been working on the future at the VEEDL real-world laboratory on Brühler Strasse in Cologne, and now our design—one of five submissions from various firms—has been unanimously recommended by the jury for further development!

The new VEEDL would be a vibrant, diverse, and identity-forming urban neighborhood that puts people at the center—in line with our firm’s motto. The starting point is the idea of a city of short distances: living, working, amenities, and community are closely linked spatially, forming a resilient neighborhood suited for everyday life.

Distinctive elements such as the “VEEDL Gate,” Marktgasse and Werkgasse, and the central “VEEDL Heart” connect work, living, and community life into an identity-forming urban structure. At the same time, climate-resilient open spaces, sustainable construction methods, flexible building typologies, and a future-proof mobility concept ensure robust and adaptable neighborhood development.

The result is a clearly structured yet open fabric that provides orientation and fosters community. The neighborhood evolves from the site itself and responds to its heterogeneous surroundings with a distinctive, self-contained character. Three neighborhood entrances (“gates”) mark the transitions and establish clear addresses. They connect the neighborhood to its context and make it recognizable as a distinct place.

“The design by caspar. was ranked first and unanimously recommended for further development. It combines urban clarity with genuine feasibility. What particularly resonated with us is that the core of this design confirms the collaborative planning outcome that our collective of planners worked toward last year. The method of integrative development is effective,” said the jury.

Client: VEEDL Brühler Straße GmbH & Co. KG (WvM Gruppe, Metropol Immobiliengruppe, CP 90 GmbH)
Architect of record: Caspar Schmitz-Morkramer
Team Workshop procedure: Johannes Feder, Tabea Mager, Francisco Vaz Cano, Marie-Elène Wehder
Team Competition: Erik Nohr, Annika Kotzan, Katharina Kromm, Clara Wilkes, Corinna Masi, Michel Schütten, Carlotta Lauven
Visualizations: © Paul Trakies