Real Estate

Cologne and Bonn are regarded as one of the most desirable property locations in Germany. The Kranhäuser in the Rheinauhafen, for example, are evidence of this, as is the Weltstadthaus, which won the »Oscar« of the property industry – the MIPIM-Award. The federal city of Bonn also attracted 12 UN organisations, not least due to the choice of property here, and developed eight building complexes at the Rheinbogen including offices, conference facilities and an ultra-modern luxury hotel.

Cologne has become one of Germany’s top property locations, not least with a series of ambitious building projects like in the »Rheinauhafen«. 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.

Architectural highlights

Some of Germany’s most important architectural firms are based in the city and there are new buildings here by international architects including O. M. Ungers, Nicholas Grimshaw, Norman Foster, Jean Nouvel, Peter Zumthor and Rem Koolhaas.
In 2006, the Weltstadthaus in the Schildergasse by star architect Renzo Piano, crea­ted for a textiles chain, won the renowned architectural prize of the Cannes real estate exhibition – the MIPIM Award.

Visitors get the best view to Cologne’s most attractive side with its Cathedral and Old City, from the right side of the Rhine in Cologne-Deutz – from the panoramic platform of the »Cologne Triangle«. 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.
Visitors can go even higher up than in the Cologne Triangle in the Cologne Tower in the MediaPark. This doesn’t offer a visitor platform but features, instead, the Osman30 – a restaurant and wine bar on the 30th floor (108m up). The Bel Etage, on the 41st floor, at a height of 142m, is available for private functions and the splendid views range across Cologne’s city centre with the Cathedral,
central train station and Lanxess Arena, to the Bergisch Land and towards Leverkusen to the TV tower in Düsseldorf, right up to the Siebengebirge (Seven Mountains) going up the Rhine.

Real estate projects in the Federal City Bonn

Of the 67 German cities which were tested in the »Immobilienfokus« of the German Association for Real Estate Funds (Degi) in March 2009, the federal city came fourth. The stable economy here as well as the low rate of empty properties and the low unemployment figure make property in Bonn extremely desirable. The federal government move also triggered an unexpected building boom which has, until today, lead to many spectacular building projects.

The highest building in Germany outside Frankfurt am Main and the seventh highest in the country is the 162.5 metre Post Tower in which the logistics group, Deutsche Post AG, has its headquarters. The post modern building was planned by architects Murphy and Jahn and was built between 2000 and 2002 in a steel and glass construction form at a cost of around 78 million euros. Both building sections are connected with four large surface connecting platforms – the so-called Sky Gardens. The 41 storeys were also the setting, until 2005, for the annual »Stair Run« in which the runner Frank Busemann also took part, for fun, once. Visitors have the opportunity to view the building during the annual open day.
Not quite so high but significantly richer in history, is the 114 metre »Lange Eugen« which was built between 1965 and 1969 as the assembly building for the members of the German Bundestag. In 2003 the federal cabinet decided to hand over the building for long term use to the United Nations. The original architecture by Egon Eiermann was largely preserved during the building’s renovation. In 2006 UN Secretary General Kofi Annan opened the »UN-Campus« which today houses almost all of Bonn’s UN institutions. In 2011 the final remaining offices to be housed here, the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, will move into the adjoining »Alten Hochhaus«.

WCCB

The former plenary chamber of the German Bundestag near the Rhine, the new plenary chamber and the water works built in 1875 form the World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB). The circular plenary hall built in the 1980s by Behnisch & Partner does not feature – true to its claim of representing transparency, closeness to the people, and modesty – one continuous through wall. The hall offers space for up to 1,275 people and, after completion of the modern extension, the congress centre will offer space for an additional 5,000. The extension and the plenary hall can also be jointly used thanks to an underground connection. The new 4 star superior »Ameron World Conference Hotel Bonn« will also be integrated here which will have 17 floors, 334 rooms and two presidential suites as well as wellness and fitness facilities, conference and entertainment halls and an event restaurant for special events.

Bonner Bogen

A further major building project will be realised by Bonn architect Karl-Heinz Schommer and property developers Bonnvisio on the right hand side of the Rhine, on the site of the former Portland cement factory. The »Bonner Bogen« is a new representative city district which will incorporate eight building complexes with more than 150,000 sqm. Each building will feature individually coordinated architecture for offices and restaurants as well as wellness, conference and meeting facilities. The »Rheinwerk« building ensemble is a U-shaped new building which has been built behind the old Rohmühle, on the banks of the Rhine. Tenants here already include the world’s leading sportswear manufacturer, Adidas. The project will be completed in 2010. From late autumn 2009 the highlight of the project will be the »Kameha Grand Hotel«. This will have 254 rooms including 62 suites and an event area which can be flexibly divided for up to 2,500 guests featuring a glass façade which faces greenery and innovative interior design.