Our design won second prize in a closed, single-stage implementation competition for an office building at Sachsenring 75 in Cologne.

The design calls for a robust, flexible, and sustainable office building at Sachsenring 75 in Cologne. The building acts as a link between the dynamic traffic artery and a residential area and public garden. The concept for two structural volumes follows a three-dimensional grid on the human scale. The lively atmosphere generated by the hybrid timber construction encourages healthy working. And with its partially public uses, the building also communicates a certain urbanity. The 5- to 6-story front building matches the height of the adjacent development and makes its mark on the corner of Sachsenring and Hardefuststrasse. The cubature is broken up by a band between the front and side wings that is typical of the region and extends to the main entrance and planted inner courtyard. In the interior, the design permits a flexible division of the floorplan into anything from cubicle offices to office landscapes. Landscaped outdoor areas on all floors provide direct access to nature. A central entrance serves as a communication hub. As the “social heart,” the transparent first floor accommodates a café, conference rooms, “end-of-trip facilities” like showers and changing rooms, and a co-working space with access to the interior garden. The existing two-story building on Lothringer Strasse will be converted to a daycare center. Like the building itself, the facade is planned according to the cradle-to-cradle concept using healthy materials that can be dismantled and is composed of green varnished clay and acetylated wood. Spacious, landscaped roof terraces, balconies, and the garden in the inner courtyard flow seamlessly from the interior to the exterior. The plants also improve the city climate and contribute to a healthy working environment.

The jury praised the design for its “shape, which is well-grounded in urban planning,” its “public oriented ground floor zone,” and its “highly creative quality and logical construction.”

Awarding authority: Generali Real Estate S.p.A
Visualization: © caspar./bloomimages