Buchheimer Weg residential quarter Cologne
New construction of a post-war housing estate
More space in the same area: contemporary floor plans and lively green spaces ensure a significant transformation of the neighborhood while retaining the existing tenants.
Demolition or modernization? Like many housing companies, Cologne-based GAG Immobilien AG is faced with this question for many of its 1950s estates. Poor energy balances, apartments that were too small and outdated floor plans, uninhabited green spaces and a lack of parking space forced a decision to be made. At Buchheimer Weg, this decision was made in favor of a complete demolition, not least because energy-efficient refurbishment and conversion were not viable in terms of cost, quality and social objectives.
Ostheim is a district of Cologne in the Kalk district on the right bank of the Rhine. In the 1950s, houses for refugees were built here quickly and cheaply by GAG Immobilien AG. Fifty years after completion, the buildings on the estate were in a very poor condition. It would not have been profitable to upgrade and renovate them in terms of energy efficiency, even with the subsidies that would have been available. GAG’s declared aim was also to maintain the rent level and thus retain the residents. In order to be able to manage the only alternative, demolition and new construction, with this requirement, neither the building law was to be changed nor the technical infrastructure redesigned – the utilization of the properties, on the other hand, had to be increased.
In three construction phases, 18 new buildings were built, in which many of the former tenants were able to remain living at almost the same rent. The focus of the redesign of the quarter was on functioning neighborhoods and the residents’ identification with their estate. The silhouette of the terraced buildings is based on the tradition of the previous housing estate, with plenty of light and air. Communal green spaces between the residential blocks, which are strikingly bent in the middle, create diverse recreational areas. The buildings also frame generous playgrounds and tenant gardens as open corners. A tenant café and a daycare center enrich the barrier-free residential complex. Green path networks enhance and activate the entire neighborhood.
All apartments were built as subsidized housing, ranging in size from 42 to 95 m², with one to four rooms. The new building increased both the size and the number of apartments. The floor plans are designed for flexible use: so-called switch rooms in the building heads allow different apartment layouts to be realized without structural interventions. A total of 434 apartments with contemporary floor plans were built. The spectrum ranges from one-bedroom apartments to larger apartments for large families. A residential home for people with disabilities and a residential group for dementia patients expand the resident population.
The fundamental examination of the housing estate heritage of the 1950s and 1960s is and remains topical. The new development on Buchheimer Weg and its broad acceptance among residents show that the architectural heritage of the post-war period can be dealt with responsibly, with sensitivity to the existing. The project proves this: Even a completely new building can further develop existing ideas and create neighborhood continuity.
Client
GAG Immobilien AG, Cologne
Size
approx. 51.600 m² GFA
Planning and realization
2005-2012
Service
Multiple commission 1st place,
Object planning LPH 1-5, LPH 8 artistic supervision
Collaboration
urbanegestalt, Cologne
Awards
Architecture Prize North Rhine-Westphalia 2015, Cologne Architecture Prize 2014, German Urban Planning Prize 2012, Modern Atlanta Prize for Green Dwelling 2012, German Building Owner Award 2011/2012: Special Prize for Open Space Design in Residential Construction
Photo credit: Jens Willebrand, Christa Lachenmaier, postcard “Greetings from Cologne-Ostheim” published by R. Korr
