The construction project at Clarenbachplatz is officially celebrating the laying of the cornerstone—with representatives from politics and government in attendance.
History is being made in Cologne: The official groundbreaking ceremony for this one-of-a-kind construction project on Clarenbachplatz in the Braunsfeld district is taking place. The developers, the wvm Group and Friedrich Wassermann GmbH & Co. KG, are embedding the seal in the current construction phase of the underground parking garage in front of approximately 150 guests. Ina Scharrenbach, Minister for Home Affairs, Municipal Affairs, Construction, and Gender Equality for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as Cologne’s Mayor Henriette Reker, are also among the guests and express their appreciation for the project developers’ courage in their speeches. “We are proud to be the first developers in Germany to build residential units over railroad tracks and to take on such an innovative project,” says Pierre Seidt, project manager at wvm. Just how unique the project in Cologne is is also evident in the official address change from Aachener Straße 460 to Clarenbachplatz 1–4. “After many years of development, we can finally turn our plans into reality,” adds Anton Bausinger, managing director at Friedrich Wassermann.
The wvm Group and Friedrich Wassermann are building over the rail line along a 160-meter stretch. Based on the design by Cologne-based architect Matthias Dittmann, 67 apartments and just under 550 m² of commercial space are being created, spread across three buildings. Ninety-four underground parking spaces are being built. To minimize the vibrations caused by freight trains transmitted through the ground and the building as much as possible, the tracks were lined with a 50-centimeter-thick layer of concrete and rubber pads before construction began. To ensure that both current residents and the new residents barely notice the rail traffic, the walls and ceilings in the area above the tracks will be lined with insulation materials. A sound-absorbing, 1.20 m high noise barrier, running parallel to the partially covered track, further minimizes noise disturbance. “For us, the safety of residents and neighbors has been a priority from the very beginning. During the planning phase, we had to meet specific requirements regarding fire, sound, and noise protection—all of which we have now, of course, fulfilled,” explains Pierre Seidt. “Perhaps our construction project can encourage other developers to explore innovative ways to create more living space.”
It’s been a long journey to get here. Anton Bausinger and his team have been working on the project for ten years. “We prevailed despite skepticism and resistance,” says Anton Bausinger. “For me, a dream will become reality when we celebrate the project’s completion in February 2021.” Once construction is complete, the Braunsfeld weekly market will also be able to return to its traditional location.
