Innodom Cologne

“The building’s open, inspiring, and relaxed atmosphere is fertile ground on which innovative ideas can flourish. And that was palpable from the moment the first tenants moved in.”

Beate Lippelt, Managing Director, Kölner Universitätsstiftung

A standalone in the urban fabric, the five-story office build with its entrances, projecting sections, and recesses references its immediate neighborhood in all manner of ways and matches the heights of the adjacent buildings. The architecture takes its cue from a wish right from the start that the building would not be merely a conventional office block, but a thinktank with the feel of an industrial workshop, all in line with the motto of “keep it simple”.

With its floor-to-ceiling glazing, pilaster strips, and perforated sheet aluminum, the building visualizes from afar that creativity and visions meld here to generate hands-on productivity.

Various studies on the volume, shape, and outer skin were undertaken on the basis of sketches and models of various scales in order to explore how best to embed the new build in the setting. Recesses and projecting elements in the building’s volume reference the lines of vision, heights, and scales of the neighboring structures. The building’s polygonal shape respects distances and the flow within it, making access readily legible from the outside. A small, protected plaza emerges behind the InnoDom, while the staggered setbacks create three roof terraces that can be used in a variety of ways.

“The InnoDom Cologne displays its special function as a thinktank from afar. Like a symbol, the crystalline building with its self-confident color stands out in its setting and kindles curiosity as to the innovative work going on inside it.”

Linda Leers, Project Manager and Associate

LIKE IT

The InnoDom Cologne’s LIKE ITs really make the building stand out. They show this both outwardly and inwardly – with their confident monochrome colors. To the outside, the two-story staged spaces with their panoramic glazing are like stage sets, acting as beacons visible from afar. With confidence and appeal, they communicate the thinktank’s unconventional and diverse usages to urban Cologne 24/7 – and are especially effective at night. Inside, meanwhile, the special LIKE IT spaces encourage users to lounge about, inspire, kick-start communication, experience new things, inform themselves, and touch base (acronym: LIKE IT).

“In a two-stage workshop, the building was designed from the inside out together with its users.”

Daniel Trappen, Head of Interior Design, Associate Partner

LIKE IT 2 interacts with the city at street level. The inviting, two-story space is defined by a large flight of staggered seats that offer a magnificent view out. From the outside, the gleaming yellow space immediately catches the eye and ensures the start-ups have a strong presence in the vicinity.

LIKE IT 2 can be used in any number of different ways, be it to grab a quick coffee with colleagues or for informal lectures or joint events. The light cladding in colored expanded metal preserves a view through to the entrance area on the one side and the café zone on the other. Movable tables and chairs deliver great flexibility, and there’s a table football set beneath the stairs as well as another comfy seating corner for those who want to be less active.

THINKTANK AND WORKSHOP

The InnoDom’s identity is defined by its bright, friendly sequences of spaces that offer users a huge range of potential functions. On the upper floors open office areas wrap around the access core that runs up through all the levels; the spaces allow for both concentrated and inventive work but also teamwork and informal meetings. The InnoDom’s world of work provides all manner of options for New Work, from permanent workstations in the form of single desks surrounded by 3D acoustic screens or double clusters, through to teamwork spaces with bench layouts, or even the touchdown zones that can be configured at will.

The interior design also helps create an atmosphere that combines thinktank and workshop. A free approach to materials, an open fit-out, and monochrome colored accents meld to paint a highly vibrant overall picture.

Everyday work in the InnoDom skillfully incorporates the outdoor space into the entire course of the day. Supplementing and in contrast to the indoor workstations, the InnoDom features a total of three terraces spread across two levels. All three differ in terms of shape and positioning and the resulting usage concept. Users thus always have the opportunity to include time away from their desk in their workflow.

With its alignment and fit-out, the “Early Bird” terrace on the InnoDom’s 4th floor is the ideal spot for a lively start to the day. The soft tartan floor covering is ideal for an early yoga session, and users can prepare their breakfast afterwards at the sturdy outdoor bar. Comfy seating rounds out this great place for a shared start to the day.

On the 3rd floor, the “Green Thumb” terrace provides perfect conditions for urban gardening. Here, users can plant vegetables and herbs in the raised beds and planters and enjoy lunch in the spaces between the vegetable patches.

The “Sundowner” terrace on the 4th floor is defined by a large pergola that provides shade from the sun and is also predestined for mood lighting, as well as a large permanently installed communal high table. An open, sturdy bar top provides an opportunity for catering and BBQs. The light, stackable furniture in the remaining areas makes for swift reconfigurations depending on what users want and need.

The roof areas that are not used for terraces or to house facilities technology have largely been greened.

SUSTAINABILITY, A KEY ASPECT

The InnoDom has been designed for optimally reduced energy consumption and realized accordingly. Special attention was paid to a high-grade façade, energy-efficient technology with a heat-recovery system, and an outer skin with low thermal bridging. As a result, the primary energy requirement is only about half of the figure required for it to receive energy performance certification.

Energy is deliberately obtained from future-oriented sources: The InnoDom is hooked up to the remote heating/cooling network which, like the electricity, is supplied by mf-Energie GmbH using the university teaching hospital grid.

Much attention was paid to sustainability in the choice of materials; for example, Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool panels were used for the core (C2C and GSBC certified ), NoraPlan rubber was used on the upper floors (GSBC, Blauer Engel), Ligno wood acoustic cladding for the homebases (natureplus certification), not to mention recyclable outdoor furniture from Fermob. The office fit-out largely relies on steel, wood, linoleum, and fabrics, and can by and large be recycled or possesses a high proportion of recycled materials (e.g., PET felt).