Twins in the Park
Breakthrough and renewal for a more vibrant Seestern Quarter in Düsseldorf
  • Location
    Düsseldorf
  • Project
    Conversion and upward extension of an existing office tower; construction of a new residential building; landscape design
  • Procedure
    Design competition (1st prize)
  • Client
    QiDUS S.a.r.l. represented by Epicore Investment Management GmbH
  • Architect of record
    Caspar Schmitz-Morkramer
  • Structural engineering
    Kempen Krause Ingenieure, Aachen
  • Technical building equipment
    Winter Ingenieure, Düsseldorf
  • Building physics
    Peutz Consult, Düsseldorf
  • Fire protection
    Corall Ingenieure, Meerbusch
  • Landscape architecture
    studio grüngrau, Düsseldorf
  • Visualizations
    moka-studio

The Seestern quarter in Düsseldorf was born in the 1960s and ‘70s: a rationally planned office district defined by functionalist architecture and the logic of the car. Twins in the Park rewrites that story. The project we are planning for QiDUS S.a.r.l., represented by Epicore Investment Management GmbH, transforms a monolithic office building into a vibrant residential ensemble, marking a decisive shift: from a single-use business environment to a greener, more urban place to live and connect.

Two towers plus a new addition

At the heart of the project lies the transformation of an existing office high-rise. A diagonally positioned middle wing, which once locked the structure into an impenetrable megablock, will be removed. This intervention releases the block into a clear, articulated figure: two autonomous L-shaped towers – the Twins – complemented by a third new residential building in the courtyard.

The formerly closed plinth levels will be opened up, linking the buildings to the surrounding urban fabric. Between them, a generous green landscape unfolds with flowing paths, gentle topography, and inviting communal areas. The result is a place of encounter, openness, and diversity – a park-like counterpoint to Seestern’s former image of sealed concrete surfaces.

A green L-landscape

The landscape design translates the architectural idea of opening up into a tangible topography. Terraces, paths, and planted islands combine to shape the central courtyard into a green oasis. A café pavilion forms the social heart, complemented by a barrier-free daycare center with sheltered outdoor areas. Residents, neighbors, and passersby will find places to linger, play, and meet – a new social hub for the quarter.

All roofs are intensively planted, fitted with photovoltaics, or designed as terraces. Pergolas, water retention areas, and rooftop gardens create shared outdoor spaces with sweeping views across the city. Soft pastel facades lend the ensemble a sense of lightness and a contemporary, optimistic character.

Existing fabric as resource

Twins in the Park makes full use of the potential of what is already there. The structural frame, slabs, and cores are largely retained; balconies are renewed and extended; new upper levels are added in lightweight timber construction. A fresh beginning from the existing – sustainable, resource-efficient, and identity-forming.

Energy is supplied via district heating with a low primary energy factor, complemented by photovoltaics, LED lighting, rainwater reuse, and charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Largely natural ventilation and efficient building systems create a robust, future-ready structure that keeps its focus where it belongs: on people and their environment.

What remains is more than the sum of architectural measures. Twins in the Park stands for an attitude: openness instead of separation, multifunctional instead of monofunctional, sustainability through transformation.

By cutting away, breaking open, and reconnecting, the project creates not only new housing but also a symbolic and tangible act of renewal – a step toward a city that evolves by reinterpreting what already exists.

 

 

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Project team
  • Project management design
  • Jutta Göttlicher
  • Project team design
  • Ines W.
  • Lara Klein
  • Jonas Ritgen
  • Francisco Javier Vaz Cano
  • Johannes Feder