Administrative Building Volksgartenstraße / Hardefuststraße in Cologne, Germany

June 28, 2010 Category: Commercial Building, Office

Designed by Schaller/Theodor Architekten, Administrative Building Volksgartenstraße / Hardefuststraße is located in Cologne, Germany . The site is attractive; the mainfront overlooking an inner-city park (Volksgarten). The existing building had the somewhat sober attitude of a an officebuilding of the 50th without much attention to the special situation. It consisted of two wings with seperate entrances. For zoning reasons, Schaller/Theodor Architekten proposed to restructure the wing on the corner to maintain the commercial use and to replace the remaining wing by a new building with loft character.

Through this solution, the architects could achieve both a higher density and a forward-looking concept of mixed use. To form an integrated whole the facades of the two buildings are uniform in material and structure, but are different in their attitude towards the surrounding. Despite opening the main facade for both buildings towards the park the New Loft’s appearence is more transparent and outlooking.

Administrative Building Volksgartenstraße Hardefuststraße by Schaller,Theodor Architekten