Büro- und Lagerhaus Alpha I, Cologne, 2005—2006, Direct

Hovering offices

The commercial building with storage and office spaces is located in Cologne’s Triotop business park. The building is inserted between the two access streets, after entering at the short end with the infrastructure spaces you can access the stacked main functions.

The office floor hovers above the 20-metre wide warehouse hall that is spanned by storey-height Vierendeel trusses. An internal courtyard, from which you can see into the hall, and an external courtyard with a terrace open to the sky create spatial transparency.


The walls built of Wittmunder clinker bricks relate the building to traditional warehouses. Large hole-in-the-wall windows create an urban expression and allow wonderful views from inside. The mix of traditional brickwork and prefabrication expressed a modern way of building.

Reference image: Nicolas Hartmann, Dalvazzabrücke Küblis 1924–25, Foto: Conzett Bronzoni Partner

Address

Am Wassermann 20, Cologne

Client

Hiba Grundbesitz GmbH & Co. KG

Commission

Storage and office building

Procedure

Direct commission

Planning period

2005–2006

Awards

Auszeichnung für architektonische Qualität im Gewerbebau, Industrie- und Handelskammer zu Köln, Haus der Architektur Cologne

KAP 10, Kölner Architektur Prize 2010, recognition

Photography

Christian Richters

Team

Lorenzo Giuliani, Tobias Greiner, Christian Hönger, Martin Künzler, Marcel Santer