The Friedrich und Karl office district is creating a new gateway to the city in Cologne-Niehl, in the northern part of Cologne. This architecturally sophisticated complex is the result of a multi-year development process that culminated in a competitive design process coordinated with political and administrative bodies, yielding an urban design and architecture of international caliber.
The pioneering design of the complex, consisting of three largely self-sufficient construction phases, is consistently oriented toward sustainability. The energy required for a complex of this scale is generated geothermally—via suction and absorption wells— , thanks to the site’s proximity to the Rhine. Through the use of a wood-hybrid construction method, in which the office floors—including the facades—are prefabricated in a factory, significant amounts of CO2 can be sequestered in the building over the long term. The innovative mobility concept accounts for the significantly increased demand from users of bicycles, e-bikes, and cargo bikes and, combined with optimal public transportation connections, enables a substantial reduction in parking spaces.
The individual building structures are connected via a pergola and a continuous base floor and have basements only in certain areas. The spacious outdoor areas are landscaped to collect rainwater, which is largely allowed to infiltrate into the ground via swales on the property. All roofs are designed as green roofs and will be equipped with photovoltaic systems; the electricity generated by these systems powers heat pumps that largely self-sufficiently provide heating and cooling for the offices. The high proportion of greenery promotes natural evaporation and, in combination with the large-canopied plane trees along Boltensternstraße, creates a pleasant microclimate throughout the complex.
The Friedrich und Karl project has been awarded the DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council) Platinum Pre-Certificate. The life cycle assessment (LCA) conducted throughout the project lays the foundation for the Sustainable Building Quality Seal (QNG Plus).
The fully rented spaces also offer room for training purposes, conference rooms, and a dedicated cafeteria. The federal energy standards for new buildings (EGB 40) are far exceeded for Friedrich und Karl. This creates a true flagship project for the future of office and government building construction at the new location in the Niehl district.
