AHEU

Project description

Location

The project development at Heumarkt 55 is located in the very center of Cologne, in one of the most vibrant part of its Altstadt district. The building can be seen from as far away as the Deutzer Bridge and blends in seamlessly with adjacent properties thanks to its roofscape, which references the characteristic shape of a Cologne-style roof. The Heumarkt is known for its diverse range of restaurants and is regarded as the central space for public events in Cologne. Situated directly beside the Rhine, the Heumarkt historically held enormous significance for Cologne’s urban development.

This central location at the heart of the city also ensures highly convenient access from all directions. It enjoys excellent transport links, including public transport connections, and is also easily accessible by bicycle and by car. An underground public car park is located below the Heumarkt, while Cologne Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) is around 10 minutes away on foot. This excellent connectivity positions HEU55 as an ideal location for companies that regularly welcome customer visits and therefore require a distinguished office presence.

Property description

The building at Heumarkt 55 is a detached building surrounded by streets on all sides. The corner at the junction of Gürzenichstrasse and Heumarkt features a distinctive gable, giving the impression of a major city gateway leading through to the Gürzenich festival hall. The façade facing the Heumarkt is slightly articulated, creating a clear façade structure that extends through the upper floors and the tapering gables.

The unique roof design replicates the steep-pitched Cologne style towards Heumarkt, ensuring that the building blends seamlessly into the surrounding roofscape. The roof’s distinctive shape is also evident on the other sides of the building, where the diamond-shaped windows featuring copper-colored metal cladding provide for a unique building cubature. A light-colored tuff typical of historic buildings in Cologne was selected for the masonry, while varying stone shapes and masonry techniques make for a dynamic façade design.

Comprising an above-ground rental area of 6,387 m², of which 5,433 m² is office space and 954 m² has been allocated to retail and restaurant space, HEU55 offers wide-ranging potential uses. The building comprises a total of six above-ground floors, supplemented by two below-ground floors containing technical installations and an underground car park with 19 spaces. The upper basement level also contains 71 bicycle parking spaces, while the ground floor offers 44 visitor parking spaces.

Architecture

The building designs were drawn up by renowned architectural firm Thomas Kröger Architekten (TKA). Founded in Berlin in 2001, TKA created a concept characterized by a clear-cut design vocabulary and an aspiration to always find something special within simplicity. Thomas Kröger’s designs are entirely harmonious with the surrounding area, while enabling the building to stand out.

TKA was the unanimous winner of the architectural competition for the building at Heumarkt 55/Gürzenichstrasse 27 and is supervising the property’s development through the detailed stage planning to completion, ensuring that the original design concepts are preserved throughout construction. This is reflected not only in the building envelope but also in the detailed and architecturally outstanding design for the communal areas and internal spaces. Tenants can customize the individual units’ layout.

The architectural originality lies in the authentic interpretation of the Cologne-style roof. The building’s steep-pitched roofscape features copper-colored metal cladding and characteristic diamond-shaped windows that give the building an inimitable identity, while showing due respect for the historic context of Cologne’s Altstadt.

Usage concept

The ground floor will feature a retail unit as well as two units for restaurants that could be merged to form a single, large unit. The restaurant units will face onto the Heumarkt, with the retail unit and the entrance to the office levels located on Gürzenichstrasse. The office levels will be accessed from the ground-floor lobby via two elevators and two stairwells.

The office spaces will be arranged around the building’s functional core. Thanks to the steel skeleton structure and the fact that the support columns extend into the upper levels, the layout of the office spaces can be adjustable as required. The office areas will be configurable as modern, New Work-style spaces featuring both open and closed areas or in conventional bullpen, combi and/or cellular layouts. Consequently, the facilities will be suitable for a variety of sectors and usage concepts.

Levels 1 to 4 will each contain three rental units, which can either be used individually or combined to form a single, unified space. The distinctive roof structure becomes evident on the 4th and 5th floors. These offices will be unique spaces, thanks above all to the exceptional diamond-shaped windows. The eye-catching roofscape will have a particularly pronounced impact on the fifth-floor office space. This top floor is available as a single unit, offering exclusive access to the northwest-facing roof terrace, which boasts spectacular views of Cologne Cathedral.

Small cellular offices with flexible partitions could be planned here, especially on the side bordering Gürzenichstrasse. The elevator lobbies on each floor will feature either a shower room or an accessible bathroom. The underground parking facilities for cars and bicycles will be accessible by way of two car elevators on Gürzenichstrasse and via internal elevators.

Technical systems and sustainability

The HEU55 designs include an innovative timber-steel hybrid structure that combines sustainability and modern architecture. The upper floors feature resource-conserving architecture, with the roof framework executed with timber rafters. The foundations and the load-bearing and bracing elements are made from reinforced concrete. The bored pile foundations and the reinforced concrete skeleton construction up to the ceiling above the ground floor ensure maximum stability.

The building also features advanced technical infrastructure. The underground car park on the upper basement level features plant rooms and a transformer installation, while a further technical area on the lower basement level contains the technical building services. The roof is free of building services equipment, save for the necessary ventilation outlets, PV installations and air-source heat pumps, which ensures optimal energetic utilization.

The property will be constructed in line with the Efficiency Building 40 category under the German Buildings Energy Act (GEG) and holds DGNB Gold (2023) and WiredScore Platinum certifications. Accessibility features will be implemented in line with Section 49(2) of the North Rhine-Westphalia Building Regulations (BauO NRW). These certifications underscore the development’s commitment to the highest environmental standards, digital infrastructure and user convenience. Tenancies arrangements will be based on green leases, which establish a sustainable partnership between the landlord and tenant and define shared environmental targets.

Modern air-source heat pumps provide heating and cooling, ensuring energy-efficient air-conditioning at low operating costs. Two car elevators and well-considered connections via two stairwells ensure optimized building logistics.

Target group and market positioning

The high-quality and architecturally impressive building cubature, the high building standards and the excellent location in Cologne’s Altstadt appeal to potential users with high standards of quality and prestige. Thanks to the excellent transport links, the property would be of particular interest to users expecting regular customer visits.

Given the building’s location and appointments, the offices are primarily suited to established, commercially stable users with a long-term outlook. Smaller units could also appeal to start-ups that, even in their infancy, seek to make a distinguished impression on customers and business partners.

HEU55 would be particularly well suited to businesses in the consultancy, law, marketing, financial services and the creative industry seeking a central inner-city location with exceptional visibility. The flexible division of space facilitates both single-tenant and multi-tenant concepts, offering maximum scope to adapt to different company sizes and structures.

The unique combination of historically inspired architecture, state-of-the-art technical building systems, supreme sustainability standards and an outstanding location at Heumarkt positions HEU55 as a premium address in Cologne’s office landscape.

Project status

The building is currently under construction. Completion is scheduled for Q3 2028. The development has been overseen by Thomas Kröger Architekten from the outset so that the architectural vision is systematically implemented through to completion. Parties interested in the building’s office, retail and restaurant units can now be integrated in the planning phase to optimize the consideration of individual requirements.