Bauwens and Düsseldorf housing cooperative celebrate topping-out ceremony for North Rhine-Westphalia's largest wood-hybrid apartment complex
Bauwens and the Düsseldorf housing cooperative marked an important milestone in construction in Düsseldorf's Düsseltal district with a topping-out ceremony: The "Arche Noah Quarter," North Rhine-Westphalia's largest wood-hybrid apartment complex, is taking shape. A total of 139 modern two- to five-room apartments are being built on around 11,000 square meters in Lacombletstraße, spread over four building blocks. The fourth building will also house a three-group daycare center. Completion of the complex is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026.
A central component of the project is its social commitment: around 45 percent of the apartments will be publicly subsidized, thus making a sustainable contribution to the creation of affordable housing in Düsseldorf. The residential offering is complemented by 84 underground parking spaces, numerous bicycle parking spaces, and a spacious, green inner courtyard with lounge and meeting areas for future residents.
Architecturally, the complex sets new standards in residential construction: it is currently the largest residential project in North Rhine-Westphalia to be built using resource-saving hybrid timber construction methods. The high proportion of wood remains visible both inside and outside, creating a warm, natural living atmosphere with bright rooms, large windows, and modern wooden ceiling soffits. A photovoltaic system on the roofs supplies electricity to the tenants and underlines the climate-friendly character of the complex.
The Arche Noah complex is already the third joint project between Bauwens and the Düsseldorf housing cooperative. It stands for a contemporary, urban form of living with plenty of green space, opportunities for social interaction, and a clear focus on sustainability—a strong signal for residential development in Düsseldorf and far beyond.
Guests from politics, city administration, and the housing industry were on hand to celebrate this special moment, including Dr. Patrick Adenauer (Bauwens), Heiko Leonhard (spokesman for the board of the Düsseldorf housing cooperative), NRW Minister of Construction Ina Scharrenbach, Cornelia Zuschke (Deputy Mayor for Planning, Construction, Housing and Real Estate of the City of Düsseldorf) and Alexander Richter (Director of the VdW Rheinland Westfalen e. V. association).
Comments on the project:
Dr. Patrick Adenauer, Managing Partner of Bauwens, says: "The Noah's Ark complex is a powerful example of how much can be achieved when sustainable construction meets reliable partnership. a hybrid timber construction of this magnitude requires a special degree of mutual trust and partnership-based cooperation – values that have grown over many years with the Düsseldorf housing cooperative and are reflected in this forward-looking project."
Heiko Leonhard, spokesman for the board of the Düsseldorf housing cooperative: "Since we acquired the land, construction prices have risen by 50% and interest rates on construction loans have quadrupled. Nevertheless, we have kept our word and are offering 139 apartments in this innovative project at an average rent of €10.80 per square meter of living space for our members."
Ina Scharrenbach, Minister for Home Affairs, Local Government, Building, and Digitalization of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, emphasizes: "Sustainable living with public funding: In North Rhine-Westphalia, these two go hand in hand. Projects such as the Arche Noah complex in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia's largest wood-hybrid apartment complex, are paving the way for the future. The wood-hybrid construction method used here is an important step toward resource-efficient and sustainable construction. With a photovoltaic system for the tenants' electricity needs and green meeting places including a daycare center, the Noah's Ark complex combines modern and social living space with climate protection. With public housing subsidies, we are also consciously supporting construction using wood as a renewable raw material. The Ministry for Regional Identity, Communities, Building, and Digitalization of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia was pleased to support this exemplary project with €17,167,477. This ensures that North Rhine-Westphalia remains a "place to build" and that sustainable living remains affordable for everyone.
