Landmarken lays the foundation stone for Kite Loft Cologne
The foundation stone for Landmarken AG's first Spirit Office has been laid. The Kite Loft, a modern office property that will be operated in a climate-neutral manner, is being built at Butzweilerhof in Cologne. Individually plannable working environments, a café, and a roof terrace with a view of the Cologne skyline are being created on approximately 5,700 square meters. Completion is scheduled for summer 2023.
The floor slab for the new building has already been poured, and construction of the ground floor can begin. Thanks to the intelligent modular design of the façade by general contractor List Bau Bielefeld, the refined shell will be completed as early as September. The future users – intensive discussions are currently being held with prospective tenants – will be able to move in as early as next summer. Landmarken has also brought other renowned partners on board for the development of the Kite Loft: as with the neighboring kite, the architecture is by HPP Architects, while the interior design is being contributed by German-American Matthias Hollwich, founder of the New York office HWKN. BMP Baumanagement is responsible for project management.
Spirit Offices is a new office concept developed by Landmarken AG in collaboration with Matthias Hollwich. It is designed to help retain talent, foster team spirit, and offer a better alternative to working from home. "Spirit Offices is perfectly in tune with the spirit of the times. The concept delivers what an office needs to offer today: community, sustainability, health, and intelligence," said Nils Perpeet at the groundbreaking ceremony. "We are delighted to lay the foundation stone for our first Spirit Office, which also marks the culmination of a very successful neighborhood development. Together with the neighborhood, our concept combines life and work, family and career, city and nature," said the head of office and special properties at the project developer.
The idea of Spirit Offices is based on four pillars: "Intelligence," "Happy & Healthy," "Community," and "Respect Nature." The new office standard thus stands for a digital building that thinks for itself, promotes health through sports facilities and the use of healthy materials, and strengthens the sense of community through a wide range of services and inspiring communal areas. Respect for nature is expressed through sustainable construction methods and smart, climate-friendly energy management.
"The Kite Loft is a prestigious project. I am delighted that we are acting as general contractor here and are laying the foundation stone for the property today," said René Konrad, Managing Director of List Bau Bielefeld, adding: "What is exciting and challenging for us is, on the one hand, the complex construction site logistics and, on the other hand, the state-of-the-art technical building equipment that enables the property to be operated in a very sustainable manner. Many thanks to our project partners and our project team, who are doing a great job."
On a site area of approximately 2,280 square meters, the Kite Loft will offer 5,700 square meters of office space, including a roof terrace with a view of the cathedral and a café on the ground floor, as well as outdoor facilities with a high quality of stay, Parking spaces with e-charging facilities, a modern bicycle box for e-bikes, and showers for all employees who come by bike or go for a jog in the Bürgerpark during their break. The Spirit Club, an attractive communal area, promotes communication and exchange, and calorie counters in the stairwells encourage exercise.
Designed in accordance with the BEG 40 EE energy efficiency standard, the building is aiming for DGNB Gold certification. Heat and cooling are generated sustainably using geothermal energy. With a planned supply of green electricity and thanks to optimal adjustment of the property through building automation with digital measurement and control components, the Kite Loft can be operated in a climate-neutral manner.
With these sustainability aspects, a high foyer, and the loft-like New York design—hence the name Kite Loft—the project sets new standards and completes the Kite Campus at Butzweilerhof as its final building block. the neighboring kite building, which houses Sparkasse KölnBonn and other tenants, already opened at the end of June.
