Dominium Cologne
Architecture: Gatermann Schossig
Hans Kollhoff, architect of the 7-10 storey development, based his design of the outer shell on the small-scale parcelling of the buildings and the historical facades. The result is a complex of five recognisable buildings with individual character; the spectrum ranges from core-renovated traditional buildings to the most modern new construction.
With Generali Deutschland Holding as the almost exclusive user of the building complex previously designed for 45 rental units, new spatial contexts, special uses and a different appearance inside the building became necessary.
For the architects Gatermann + Schossig, who were commissioned with the interior design, the challenge arose to merge the interior space into an overall object and to let it be experienced as an ensemble. A deliberate break with the style of the exterior façade was chosen and the interior was conceived as a flowing space of glass, stone and metal, of light, materiality and colour - restrained enough not to disturb the exterior, powerful enough to also reflect the future-oriented attitude of the company.
The central organisational concept in the two basement storeys is the generous grouping of the communicative individual uses around three courtyards. One of the courtyards was designed as an atrium and reception area, around which the conference rooms are grouped on the ground floor and first floor. For the size of the group, special areas such as cafeteria, showrooms, casino, and executive offices were also necessary.
Materials and colours throughout the building are based on the company's CI concept and lead to the corporate design. This can be seen in a wide variety of areas: room-high glass panelling with flush-fitting fixtures and backlit presentation areas - the core walls are red with textured background printing, the opposite walls are silver - artistic media installations that pick up on the logo theme (Generali lion). In the lift lobbies, artistic works have been integrated into the silver-coloured glass panelling.
To achieve additional individuality, the fixed fixtures, reception counters and serving counters as well as much of the furniture were designed by Gatermann+Schossig.