Modern Cologne

Sky high

The »Cologne Tower« (2001) in the MediaPark doesn’t offer a visitor platform but features, instead, the restaurant on the 30th floor. The splendid views range across Cologne’s city centre with the Cathedral, central train station and Lanxess Arena, to the Bergisch Land, the TV tower in Düsseldorf, right up to the Siebengebirge (Seven Mountains).
Visitors get the best view to Cologne’s most attractive side with its Cathedral, Old City and the »Rheinauhafen« from the right side of the Rhine in Cologne-Deutz – from the panoramic platform of the »Cologne Triangle« (2004). The glass tower which is more than 100 metres high rises up over Cologne’s skyline and defines the city’s panorama as a symbol of modern architecture which can be see from afar.

And, in 2006, the »Weltstadthaus« (2005) in the Schildergasse by star architect Renzo Piano won the renowned architectural prize of the Cannes real estate exhibition – the MIPIM Award.
How harmoniously the old can blend into the new can be seen particularly impressively near Cologne Cathedral. Notable Swiss architect, Peter Zumthor, designed a very special building for the archiepiscopal diocesan museum – the »Kolumba« (2007). The foundation stone of the museum was laid in 2003 and it was opened in 2007 by Cardinal Meisner. The building incorporates both the foundations of the Roman church of St. Kolumba, damaged during the Second World War, as well as the »Madonna in the Ruins« chapel, built in its place in 1950. The latter is fully enclosed by the modern museum building but can be entered by a separate entrance.

Rheinauhafen

Rheinauhafen Cologne has become one of Germany’s top property locations, not least with a series of ambitious building projects with around 300,000 sqm newly rented office space. One of the most unusual buildings are the three »Kranhäuser« (crane houses) in the Rheinauhafen which, with their upper floors, rise up over the river and their appearance is based on the historic industrial cranes. An exciting mix of urban living and working, culture and leisure is also planned for the 15 hectare site of Cologne’s former goods transport harbour. The site will include squares and promenades, cafes, restaurants and retail trade. Historic buildings, too, remain preserved, for example the listed port granaries. These have been functionally incorporated as restaurants or office buildings by interior conversion work.
With the settlement of internationally important companies, such as Microsoft in the »Rheinau Art Office« or Electronic Arts in the »Bench«, the Rheinauhafen is also establishing itself as the most important area in multimedia. Artists are also inspired by the bold mix of old and new here – the »Kunsthaus Rhenania«, a former warehouse which was renovated in 2004, offers studios and function rooms for around 50 artists from all fields ranging from music and theatre to sculpture and photography and film.
The design and art hotel art’otel cologne has been opened in March 2010 and offers 218 rooms, 400 sqm conference space, the restaurant »Chino Latino«, as well as a sauna on the roof. With its permanent exhibition of works by Korean artist SEO, the art’otel further extends the art activities in the Rheinauhafen. From the beginning, the new hotel’s construction intended an environment-friendly utilization: Energy supply is provided by the medium voltage network and district heating as beneficial energy sources.

Offices with a Stunning View towards the City

Right next to the river Rhine at the Deutzer Brücke (Deutzer Bridge), HOCHTIEF Project Development is raising the new landmark maxCologne, which offers a view of the old city of Cologne and the Cathedral. For this purpose, two existing buildings from the 1970s – the high-rise building and the Rheinetagen (Rhine Storeys) – will be revitalised from scratch. On approximately 46 000 square metres, high-quality and flexibly divisible rental office space is being created. Further assets of this top-class property are its prominent location, the ideal infrastructure and traffic connections as well as excellent local amenities. In addition, the right bank of the river Rhine in Cologne is enhanced by the new Rhine Boulevard with its set of terraces. As a result, the building ensemble maxCologne is located at this redesigned, prominent city square of Cologne. The comprehensive revitalisation measures create the conditions for high-quality office space according to new building standards.
The ecological conception of maxCologne is based on efficiency and sustained economic effectiveness: the modern facades are equipped with integrated, individually adjustable sun shades and designed in such a way that rooms can be flexibly ventilated both naturally and mechanically. Ground water from two wells regulates temperatures within the office space by means of heating and cooling ceilings without draught appearance. During the course of the revitalisation, ecological building substances and materials will be used. Another »green« aspect: thanks to the already implemented dismantling of the basement floor, urban space is being regained. Spacious grounds enhance the quality of the location and connect maxCologne with the historic building structure of the surrounding area. All these attributes have earned the project the pre-certificate in gold of the German Society for Sustainable Building (DGNB) in recognition of its ecological, socio-cultural and economic quality.
In December 2009, the project maxCologne has been sold to a special fund of the real-estate investment company Warburg - Henderson  Kapitalanlagegesellschaft für Immobilien mbH, advised  by HIH Hamburgische Immobilien Handlung GmbH. The sole investor is the pension fund Rheinische Versorgungskassen.