The Friedrich und Karl office complex in Cologne-Niehl is creating a new gateway to the city in the north of Cologne. The sophisticated urban development is the result of a multi-year development process that culminated in a competition coordinated with politicians and administrators, resulting in an urban design and architecture of international standing.
The pioneering concept for the complex, consisting of three largely self-sufficient construction phases, is consistently geared towards sustainability. The energy required for a facility of this size is obtained from geothermal suction and absorption wells at the site, which benefits from its proximity to the Rhine. The use of a wood-hybrid construction method, in which the office floors, including the facades, are manufactured in the factory, allows significant amounts of CO2 to be bound in the building over the long term. The innovative mobility concept takes into account the significantly increased demand for users of bicycles, E-bikes, and cargo bikes and, with optimal public transport connections, enables a significant reduction in parking spaces.
The individual buildings are connected by a pergola and a continuous basement and only have cellars in some areas. The spacious outdoor areas are landscaped to collect rainwater and allow most of it to seep away on site via infiltration ditches. All roofs are designed as green roofs and are equipped with photovoltaic systems, whose electricity generation is used to heat and cool the offices largely independently by means of heat pumps. The high proportion of greenery promotes natural evaporation and, in combination with the large-crowned plane trees along Boltensternstrasse, creates a pleasant microclimate throughout the complex.
The Friedrich und Karl project has been awarded the platinum pre-certificate by the DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council). The life cycle analysis (LCA) accompanying the project lays the foundation for the Sustainable Building Quality Seal (QNG Plus).
The 100% rented space also offers room for training purposes, conference rooms, and a private canteen. The federal government's energy standards for new buildings (EGB 40) are far exceeded for Friedrich and Karl. This creates a real flagship project for the future of office and government building construction at the new location in the Niehl district.
