Parkview Cologne

Competition – 2nd Prize, 2016

In the interdependent urbanization of Subbelrather Strasse and Innere Kanalstrasse, in the immediate vicinity of the television tower, an ensemble is to be built on a floor space of around 4,000 square meters, which is entirely geared to the needs of young people. Micro apartments with the aspects of the trend "Urban Living" unites in a residential complex with approximately 32,000 sqm of gross floor area.

Our approach provides for the construction of two residential towers that are arranged in such a way that maximum privacy, noise protection and light incidence are given, and the buildings have a light and open appearance and can be understood as a "gate" into the green belt starting behind. THE GATE TO THE PARK.

The guiding principle of our design: GATE TO THE PARK.

The unique location of the property marks three things:

– The transition of the old and new town of Cologne to the surrounding neighborhoods

– The intersection of two main roads – Innere Kanalstrasse and Subbelrather Straße

– The entrance to the inner green belt

This entrance to the inner green belt becomes the guiding idea for the design: between the two high-rise buildings opens a wide entrance to the green recreational area – the entrance to the student apartments is at the same time the entrance to the park. In addition, the "TOR INS GREEN" is presented as an urban monument, which sets the mark for Cologne in this succinct place.

Although the property is located in the direct context of the Telekom Hochhaus, television tower and the Herkules high-rise, the new building does not want to dominate this environment with a high building structure. The design is part of the context and remains clearly below the heights of its neighbors. The decision for two high-rise buildings avoids the fact that the district of Ehrenfeld is sealed at this place to the inner green belt. The two high-rise buildings achieve a spatial permeability, which reduces the shading of the neighbors, generates the visions in the east-west direction, and gives the buildings a soothing elegance.

The slight rotation of the two building elements points in the direction of the recreation areas and thus offers attractive viewing axes. The offset of the building elements also optimizes the views for the inhabitants of the high-rise buildings. Due to the difference in height, on the one hand, an exciting composition is created and, on the other hand, the distance surfaces are maintained.

At 50 m, the Sky Lobby connects the two towers on the 17th floor and offers space for the function rooms and rental kitchens with a unique view. This underlines the uniqueness of the design. To the street, the lifestyle lobby on the first floor forms the entrance and welcomes the residents, visitors and users of the park with a self-evident gesture. Here you will find a fitness studio, laundry rooms, multifunctional rooms as well as the entrances to the ground floor. A generously raised first floor provides weather protection for the entrances and numerous covered bicycle parking spaces. A total of 730 apartments will be created.

Facade

Both skyscrapers are designed very differently in the façade. The front and rear protrusions create accessible loggias, which on the outside receive a slidable impact disc for noise reduction. Both the outer sides of the ensemble are clearly marked by a perforated facade, which depicts individual living. The street- and park-side façades interpret the subject of individual living differently: on each floor there is a loggia for each apartment, each with its own individual shape. Everyone recognizes his apartment right away!

Structure, sustainability and profitability

The structure of the "i Live-Skyscrapera" is designed as a reinforced concrete skeleton construction and is essentially divided into three parts: the main storey with the special floor attached on the first floor, the two-storey parking floors and the connecting bridge between the towers arranged on the 17th floor.

"The design of the connecting bridge is praised by the jury because of the qualities to be expected there for the users. This element gives the design a special character and at the same time a place with a high quality of accommodation. These towers are cleverly positioned and dimensioned to each other That the viewer has the impression that the towers are the same. " So the jury in your final meeting.