Historical Archive of Cologne

Werner Sobek was entrusted with the facade engineering for the conversion of the Historical Archive (HA) and the Rhenish Picture Archive in Cologne. The storage rooms of the building on Eifelwall are now housed in a cubic structure. The new glass porch wraps around this magazine building like a protective cloak.

Sheathing with Transparent Facades

The transparent facades of the shell building with the delicate structure in front of it take up the proportions of the surrounding buildings in an attractive way. At the same time, the newly designed building opens up like a shop window to the surrounding street and green spaces.

Lamellae and Louvres Made of Architectural Bronze

Deep vertical and horizontal louvres of architectural bronze arranged in front of the glass facade create a delicate ‘brise soleil’. The deep reveals create an impressive, constantly changing play of light and shadow. Due to the predominantly natural shading of the interior, the facade construction contributes significantly to meeting the high energy and conservation requirements.

Softly Lit at Night

The magazine building is clad with metal sheeting made of architectural bronze. At night, the building envelope designed by Werner Sobek is gently illuminated, making the building visible in the cityscape. The project is a successful example of the integration of facade planning into the architectural design.