Herkules Hochhaus
| Herkules Hochhaus | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Residential |
| Location | Cologne, Germany |
| Address | 1-5 Graeffstraße, Köln, Germany |
| Coordinates | 50°57′01″N 6°56′02″E / 50.95035°N 6.93375°E |
| Completed | 1969 |
| Owner | Kallmeyer & Nagel |
| Height | |
| Roof | 102 m (335 ft)[1] |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Concrete |
| Floor count | 31 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Ernst Neufert |
| Website | |
| Herkules Hochhaus | |
The Herkules Hochhaus is a high-rise residential building in the Neuehrenfeld district of Cologne, Germany. Inaugurated in 1969, the tower stands at 102 m (335 ft) tall with 31 floors and is the current 8th tallest building in Cologne.[2]
History
[edit]Architecture
[edit]In the 1960s, the city of Cologne had intended to create new urban living space near the city center. Following the example of other residential densifications through vertical arrangement, i.e. high-rise buildings, the architect Peter Neufert was commissioned to build Cologne's first "super residential building" (self-promotion). Neufert had previously planned and built office high-rises. The building was built by the Dr. Rüger Group in the (controversial) developer model.[3]
Since its renovation, the high-rise has been clad in blue, orange, red and lilac enamelled metal sheets.[4] The silver-coloured windows, divided into three parts and installed in three different variations, follow a free rhythm, a feature of the “systemic architecture” formulated by Neufert.[5]
He implemented this consistently in all of his high-rise buildings: the usual rigid axis arrangement of the windows with their structure in strict and fixed lines ("rasteritis") gives way to a looser, lively external façade. This also allows for a flexible, function-oriented room layout inside: the apartments are between 24 and 33 square meters in size, the two-room apartments 43 square meters. In addition, each floor also has two larger apartments with three rooms each, which without exception face the cathedral.[6]
The building was named after the adjacent Herkulesstraße (see also: Herkulesberg); it has 31 floors with 427 residential units. There is a doorman and four elevators, two of which stop on the even floors and two on the odd floors. A trip from the ground floor to the 31st floor takes about a minute. On the top floor there is a swimming pool, a sauna and a party room.[6]
Despite its colorful exterior (nicknamed: Parrot House), which also serves as a popular postcard motif, the skyscraper remained unpopular with the people of Cologne from the very beginning.[6]
In the first few years, an architecture magazine was quick to comment: "The residential factory is scaring off neighbors." In 2005, the Cologne Tourist Board awarded the building the "Sour Lemon" award, a negative prize for unsightly architecture that detracts from the attractiveness of Cologne's tourism.[7]
The residents are from a student and international background with a comparatively high fluctuation.[8]
On January 11, 1979, a fire broke out on the first floor, which was started by a candle. A young man died while using the elevator, and another was seriously injured by jumping from a height of eight meters.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Herkules-Hochhaus". CTBUH Skyscraper Center. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Werner Schäfke (Hrsg.): Das neue Köln 1945–1995. Köln 1995, ISBN 3-927396-62-1, S. 199
- ^ 5. Juni 1970; Vortrag anlässlich der Baustellendemonstration der Herkules-Hochhäuser der Dr. Rüger-Gruppe Köln
- ^ Vgl. Uta Winterhager: Früher war mehr bunt, in: moderneREGIONAL 16, 1 (Januar 2016)
- ^ Anka Ghise-Beer (2001-07-24). "Das Werk des Architekten Peter Neufert" (PDF). Anka Ghise-Beer (Dissertation) (in German). Uni Wuppertal. Archived from the original (PDF; 1,47 MB) on 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
- ^ a b c "Herkules skyscraper in Cologne: This is what it looks like behind the facade". verliebtinkoeln.com (in German). Verliebt in Koln. June 9, 2024. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
- ^ Christian Deppe (2005-04-29). "Sauer auf Herkuleshaus". Rundschau Online (in German). Kölnische Rundschau. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
- ^ Jens Meifert (2010-08-15). "Im Inneren der Wohnfabrik". Rundschau Online (in German). Kölnische Rundschau. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
- ^ Roland Kirbach (1979-01-19). "Beinahe ein flammendes Inferno". Die Zeit (in German). Dönhoff/Schmidt/Joffe. Retrieved 2015-12-08.
External links
[edit]
- Herkules Hochhaus at CTBUH
- Herkules Hochhaus at SkyscraperPage
- Herkules Hochhaus at Structurae
- Herkules Hochhaus at SKYDB
