Right in the heart of the vibrant Ehrenfeld neighborhood, a new, forward-looking residential district is taking shape: LÜCK. On September 6, the topping-out ceremony for the wvm Group’s innovative project took place on Subbelrather Straße; the project stands out for its combination of modern architecture, sustainable energy supply, and social integration. Developed in collaboration with naturstrom AG, the neighborhood utilizes a unique heating technology: heat is extracted from wastewater and channeled into the living spaces—a pioneering project in the urban energy transition.
Frank Piepers, CEO of the wvm Group and head of construction sites, emphasized the importance of the project and the challenges it entailed: “The LÜCK neighborhood was a challenge that we, as pioneers, were happy to take on. We were all excited by the opportunity to tap into a previously untapped energy source for heating. CO2-neutral heating is something that concerns us all, and as a society, we sit on an untapped resource that could cover up to 10% of the energy demand in a city like Cologne alone. We’re proud to be able to make this contribution to sustainable urban development.”
The neighborhood blends perfectly into the industrial-style Ehrenfeld district, whose vibrant mix of cultures, creative projects, and architectural details from the 1920s remains visible to this day. “With LÜCK, we’re creating a complex that captures Ehrenfeld’s living history and creative spirit,” explains Erika Werres, managing director of the wvm Group. “Not only are urgently needed condominiums being built here, but also publicly subsidized apartments and rental units that preserve the social mix. With our protected construction method and architectural nods to times past, we’re offering people a home that allows for both an urban lifestyle and quiet retreats.”
Political Support for the Project
In her speech, Sabine Pakulat, Chair of the Urban Development Committee, emphasized the importance of such projects for urban development: “I was very pleased to receive the invitation to the topping-out ceremony, because it’s wonderful to see what has already come of the planning vision for the LÜCK project. Housing construction must continue to be driven forward to provide people with space. That is exactly what this neighborhood does: it helps combat the housing shortage.”
Volker Spelthann, District Mayor of Ehrenfeld (Greens), also highlighted the social aspect: “Projects like LÜCK are exactly what our district needs, because this mixed-use neighborhood is not only an important building block in Ehrenfeld but also makes a significant contribution to climate neutrality. This pioneering spirit and the boldness of the entire team set new standards and should serve as a model for many other development projects.”
Also in attendance was Jochen Ott, the local state representative for Ehrenfeld and Bickendorf: “I am very pleased that much-needed housing is being created in Ehrenfeld, especially in the form of socially responsible and mixed-income neighborhoods like LÜCK. This project, with a high proportion of publicly subsidized housing and condominiums specifically targeted at the middle class, sends a strong message against the increasing gentrification of our neighborhood.”
Dr. Sarah Debor, Head of the Urban Housing and Commercial Division at naturstrom AG, explained the sustainable energy concept: “The heat pump in the energy center uses locally generated solar power as well as genuine green electricity from the grid to heat the water to the required temperature and fill a 20-cubic-meter buffer tank. This supplies the neighborhood’s own heating network. During peak demand or when there is a particularly high volume of locally generated solar energy, a power-to-heat system is activated. In this way, we are actively contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions and shaping the energy supply of the future.”
The topping-out ceremony was marked by master roofer Martin Baldauf with a traditional topping-out speech. Dressed in guild attire and to a round of applause, he said: “The hour of celebration has struck; the skilled hand now rests…” After the speech, Baldauf raised a glass filled with schnapps to wish the construction crew and the project good luck. With the words, “Yet shards bring good luck and blessings to the builders on all their paths,” he smashed the schnapps glass on the ground. This ritual, which remains a tradition on German construction sites to this day, symbolically links good luck and success for the new building.
