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LocationDüsseldorf
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ProjectNew construction of a high-rise office and commercial building
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Procedure1st Prize Quality assurance procedure
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Client (SP 0–4 | 2017–2020)Warburg-HIH Invest Real Estate GmbH vertreten durch HIH Real Estate GmbH
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Client (SP 5 | 2021–2023)Freundlieb Bauunternehmung GmbH & Co. KG/Convalor Projektpartner GmbH
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Architect of recordCaspar Schmitz-Morkramer
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General contractorFreundlieb Bauunternehmung GmbH & Co. KG, Dortmund
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Project controllingWITTE Projektmanagement, Düsseldorf (SP 1–5)
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Technical building equipmentHTW Ingenieurgesellschaft, Düsseldorf
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Structural engineeringAWD Ingenieure, Köln
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Fire protectionÖkotec, Schwalmtal
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Building physicsDS-Plan, Düsseldorf
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Traffic planningBrenner BERNARD Ingenieure, Köln (SP 1–5)
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Light planningAG Licht, Bonn
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FacadeJura Poros, Hofmann Naturstein, Köln
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Construction period2022–2023
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Service phases1–5, 8 (artistic supervision)
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Gross floor area (AG/BG)4,734 m²/542 m²
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General tenantSMP Strategy Consulting
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AwardsNatursteinpreis 2024 (Special recognition);
Iconic Awards 2024 -
PhotosHGEsch
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This project is from the joint period of meyerschmitzmorkramer.
Since the demolition of the Tausendfüssler, an elevated highway built in the early 1960s, Düsseldorf’s dense city center has undergone dramatic transformation. Public spaces have been reclaimed, reinterpreted, and linked with historic parks, prominent cultural sites, and popular shopping destinations. Car traffic was moved underground, making way for pedestrians and cyclists to experience urbanity in a refreshing new way. As you drive through the Kö-Bogen Tunnel from north to south, you’ll emerge near St. John’s Church, greeted by a short, sudden, expansive view that might catch you by surprise. Since 2023, the Vertikum has stood prominently at this location, evoking a small “Manhattan moment” reminiscent of New York’s Flatiron Building (Daniel Hudson Burnham, 1902) with its bold wedge shape and strong verticality. Of course, at nine floors, the height is relative – Düsseldorf is no Manhattan nor does it pretend to be anything other than Düsseldorf. And this is exactly what the Vertikum stands for with its powerful presence.
We were tasked with designing and constructing an office building with retail space on the ground floor. Positioned on a trapezoidal plot at the forefront of the building block, this project was viewed as a minimally invasive form of urban repair, playing an important mediating role within the cityscape. The Vertikum asserts itself through a classic emphasis on the corner, while the facade’s geometry and materiality create a strong and clear visual identity. The shell around the reinforced concrete structure does not give away any space; it fully encloses the building from sidewalk to parapet and tightly around the curved corners, without sacrificing depth. Utilizing three primary materials – Jura Poros (a light natural stone); narrow black-gray aluminum profiles, and glass (clear solar control glass and back-painted at the parapets) – the facade achieves a striking yet refined appearance through the consistent repetition of an adaptive grid. Its stone structure, which has been reduced to a minimum horizontally, appears delicate and refined through handcrafted details. The Vertikum is classically composed: the base combines the ground and the first floors, creating a robust foundation that visually anchors the building. Similarly, the crown, comprising the 7th and 8th floors, forms a sweeping retreat from its neighbor. A nice bonus is the roof terrace nestled within the protected intermediate space.
The store has a its own entrance, with discreet backlit black lettering complementing the effect of the surrounding large shop windows, sending bold signals into the urban space. Directly next to the main entrance, providing access to the office floors, is a bicycle garage – a friendly amenity encouraging car-free commutes, with a changing room in the basement. Throughout the building, corridors and access areas maintain a uniformly neutral design aesthetic. SMP Strategy Consulting occupies floors 5 through 8 as the general tenant and commissioned us with developing the interior design to reflect a modern approach to consulting, aligning with the architectural language already established.
“On the corner site, which is only 550 square meters, we have shown what maximum urban renewal can look like on a minimal footprint. Our design also responds appropriately, independently and sensitively to the neighboring Ministry of Justice and Johanneskirche.”
Each of the office floors, spanning 400 square meters, offers contemporary working options seamlessly integrated into the planning grid without spatial constraints. Employees can work individually or in pairs in glazed cubicles, at large “Workbenches” in the open space that can be partitioned off with curtains, at the window bar with views of Berliner Allee, in the closed meeting room, in the “Phone Box,” or informally in the kitchenette. The carpentry furniture, crafted from dark-stained oak with rounded corners, echoes the architecture’s design language. Building construction, interior design, and carefully curated furnishings synthesize into a cohesive, holistic environment. At the heart of the office lies a professionally equipped kitchen, ideal for hosting cooking events with guests. Meals can be enjoyed at a long communal table in the “Town Hall” or on the green roof terrace surrounded by trees and plants – all while overlooking the bustling cityscape.
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Caspar Schmitz-Morkramer
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Vanessa Frank
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Lars Göpfert
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Judith Alich
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Rosella Alvir Grau
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Beate Bischofberger
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Ayse Elmas
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Engin Esen
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Beate Groß
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Kai Hesse
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Ann-Denise Hinse
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Jan Jermer-Urban
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Klaus Kirchner
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Cristina Lagaccia
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Aleksandra Lewandowska
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Miriam Nguan
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Rojek Kacper
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Kateryna Ryzhkova
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Maik Skerka