Ideal Standard's comprehensive product and service approach proves its worth in cooperation with Aachen-based SWG in the challenging large-scale project Neue Mitte Porz in Cologne.

On 12 November 2021, the topping-out ceremony took place for House 3, which was developed by Aachener SWG, or ASWG for short, (www.aachener-swg.de) as the client under the title ‘Haus der Kirche’. The result is a mix of 30 rental flats, modern rooms for the Catholic parish of St. Joseph and space for catering and retail. The parish hall was consecrated on 2 September 2023. The building is part of a three-part ensemble, the Neue Mitte Porz revitalisation project. The high standards of the project are reflected in the bathroom fittings of the 30 flats in the building. For these, Aachen-based SWG chose a solution in which the Connect Air series sets the tone, from the ceramics to the fittings. In addition, the direct responsiveness of Ideal Standard as the manufacturer helped to ensure that the project was completed on schedule despite the difficult circumstances.

Aachener Siedlungs- und Wohnungsgesellschaft mbH was founded in 1949 and its headquarters moved to Cologne in 1950. Today, the group of shareholders includes the archbishoprics and dioceses of Aachen, Essen, Cologne, Münster, Paderborn and Trier. Operating mainly in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Berlin, ASWG manages a total portfolio of around 26,500 residential units. ASWG's core objectives have not changed since then: The focus is on providing broad sections of the population with affordable rental flats and also residential property. To this end, ASWG assumes responsibility not only for housing construction but also in the context of urban development.

Complex transformation

The Neue Mitte Porz revitalisation project shows just how complex this commitment by Aachener SWG can be. The Hertie department stores' building on Friedrich-Ebert-Platz in the heart of the Porz district stood empty for five years. The reason for commissioning moderne stadt GmbH with the development and revitalisation of Friedrich-Ebert-Platz in 2016. moderne stadt is the urban development company of Stadtwerke Köln GmbH and the City of Cologne. Work on the new centre of Porz began in autumn 2017 with the demolition of the Hertie building and other structures. The aim: to reorganise the entire area structurally and upgrade the central square. The new development consists of a three-part ensemble of buildings with different uses and underground car parks. Great importance was also attached to the design of the outdoor area and public spaces. The foundation stone for Building 1 (JSWD Architekten) was laid in June 2019: It houses a supermarket and 2- to 4-room flats on the upper floors. Building 2 (Molestina Architekten) is specially designed for senior-friendly living. In November 2021, building 3, designed by Kaspar Krämer Architekten and owned by Aachener Siedlungs- und Wohnungsgesellschaft mbH, celebrated its topping-out ceremony.

Economy combined with design expression

The Connect Air series with its light, organic shapes was designed by Robin Levien. He is one of the most successful and innovative product designers in the UK. His work is also part of the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Connect Air is stylistically designed for solutions that express elegance, comfort and individuality. At the same time, the Connect Air series is suitable for high-traffic areas in catering establishments, office buildings and museums. This is because the surfaces of the ceramics and the inner workings of the fittings are designed for economical operation and a long service life. For example, the optimised rinsing performance of the AquaBlade technology reduces the amount of cleaning required and the flow limiters in the taps also help to reduce water consumption. The versatile Connect Air collection includes numerous washbasins, WCs, bidets, furniture and bathtubs in a wide range of sizes, heights and configurations. To summarise: the Connect Air series combines economy with a strong and versatile design expression. This was the big moment for Connect Air in House 3.

Mastering the balancing act between diverse requirements

As architect Ute Wirges-Thiel, project manager at ASWG, explains, it was essential for this bathroom design to strike a balance between cost-effectiveness and a high-quality appearance. According to Wirges-Thiel, this resulted from the high standards that the architects pursued in their design and behind which the furnishings of the flats were not to fall. The different layouts of the flats, with which ASWG fulfils the needs of a wide range of residents, also had to be taken into account. The fact that all flats and therefore their bathrooms are barrier-free also played a role in the considerations. With this in mind, Wirges-Thiel says that the bathrooms should, for example, pragmatically accommodate families with children in everyday life. Wirges-Thiel reports that the Ultra Flat S shower trays installed flat in the floor, for example, are very popular with these families. These also support accessibility. According to Wirges-Thiel, product quality and long-term market availability also play a role in product selection. If replacement, repair or renovation work is required, it is essential for ASWG to be able to provide the right products at any time.

‘When selecting a manufacturer, it is clearly important to us that they support us in the procurement process. In addition, we want to be close to the manufacturer so that we can clarify in advance in direct dialogue whether a designed solution can work. What we appreciate about Ideal Standard is that the company can be involved in a joint development process in this way. This makes our business as property developers and landlords much easier,’ explains Ute Wirges-Thiel. Ideal Standard is very responsive to ASWG's requirements. ‘It's not just product quality that's important to us. We need a partner we can always rely on. We can rely on Ideal Standard,’ says Wirges-Thiel. This proved to be the case in the collaboration on House 3: ‘We managed to keep to the two-year construction deadline despite difficult circumstances. There were disruptions to the supply chain due to motorway closures in the wake of the flooding disaster in the Ahr valley, as well as an explosion in material and construction costs. In this situation, Ideal Standard's commitment was exemplary. Whenever the material supply got stuck, support was there immediately. In the end, we were able to adhere to the usual schedule for a major project like this.’

With Haus 3, a key component of the Neue Mitte Porz project has been realised. A project that is one of the most important revitalisations in Cologne and has also attracted attention beyond the city limits: in 2023, the project was awarded the polis AWARD in the Reactivated Centres category by a 15-member interdisciplinary jury from urban planning, architecture, the real estate industry and the trade press. It is awarded by the publication polis Magazin für Urban Development, which reports on key developments and trends in urban planning and the property industry.