Arno Brandlhuber - Kölner Brett, Apartment and Office Building

Kölner Brett, Apartment and Office Building

Brandlhuber+

With the rise of private television programs in late 1990s Germany, the city of Cologne experienced a growing demand for alternative, modern work-life arrangements. Ehrenfeld, a former mixed-use neighborhood with its industrial warehouses, houses, and a carefree environment, met the demands of the creators and freelance professionals who were looking for spaces to live and work under the same roof. 

Despite the high demand for mixed-use spaces in the spirit of loft apartments, their availability was very low. The client therefore commissioned the design of a 'New Loft' building on the property of Messing Müller, a long-standing craft business. The name Kölner Brett, as the street and building are also called, comes from a three-track curtain rail that is pre-assembled on a wooden board. The idea behind this configurable invention is adopted in many aspects of the building design, most notably in the exterior circulation and terraces.

Published in N.194 Brandlhuber+ 1996-2018
© 2018 EL CROQUIS S.L. Edición digital: ISSN 2174-0356