KölnTriangle

An observation platform in Cologne that’s over 100 metres high

Well-balanced, harmonious and grand, this glass building rises up on the right bank of the Rhine, above the city’s Deutz district. The building’s three sides slightly curve outward, so that the ground plan forms a Reuleaux triangle, a shape named after the German mechanical engineer Franz Reuleaux. Like the geometric shape known as a curve of constant width, it has the same width everywhere, and in its gleaming symmetry it comes very close to perfection.

But that’s only one aspect of the architecture of the KölnTriangle at Ottoplatz 1. If you look down from the platform on the 29th floor, on top of the roof, you’ll have a fantastic view of Cologne and beyond — and experience a genuine high. To get there, you’ll have to take the elevator, which zooms to the 28th floor within seconds. From there, you have to climb a stairway to the observation platform, which is about 103 metres above ground level. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to climb all of the 565 steps to the top — for security reasons. You can buy tickets on site.

A 360-degree view of Cologne and far beyond

As you stand on the platform and gaze at the heart of Cologne, Cologne Cathedral will be right at your eye level. In front of it, you’ll see the Hohenzollern Bridge and to its left, the Museum Ludwig and Cologne’s Old Town.

On a clear day you can even see as far as Düsseldorf and into the Siebengebirge hills and the Bergisches Land region. Many visitors say that the view of Cologne in the evening twilight from the top of the Cologne Triangle is beyond compare — and of course it’s a hotspot for photos.

A 400-square-meter platform, restaurants and Cologne’s tourist attractions

The observation platform is completely glassed in — for your safety. And as an aid to orientation, the city’s main tourist attractions are indicated at the windows where you can see them.

But the building wasn’t built on account of the observation platform; it functions primarily as an office building. However, it’s also home to restaurants such as the KölnSky with its floor-to-ceiling windows on the 27th floor and the Mongolian restaurant Mongo’s on the ground floor.

The construction history of the LVR Tower

The Cologne Triangle was built between 2004 and 2006 according to plans drawn up by the architects Gatermann + Schossig, and was completed in 2006. The contracting authority was the Rheinische Versorgungskassen (RVK). Because the Landschaftsverband Rheinland (LVR) (Rhineland Regional Council) is in charge of the RVK, the media often referred to the building as the LVR Tower.

The UNESCO warned that the construction of the Cologne Triangle at Ottoplatz 1 would draw attention away from Cologne’s landmark cathedral, and back then it placed Cologne Cathedral on the list of endangered World Heritage sites. As a result, other planned high-rises were not built on the adjacent plots.

Special architectural features, ranging from the brise soleil façade to the artwork associated with the building

The building has many special architectural features, such as the brise soleil façade that protects against sunlight while not interfering with the outward view, the optimally energy-saving mono-double façade, and differentiated systems for building component activation, heat recovery, geothermal energy and ventilation. As a result, the Cologne Triangle’s primary energy requirement is very small. What’s more, the building was honoured with the Architecture and Glass innovation prize and was nominated for the Prime Property Award because of its sustainability.

Two works by the artist Rainer Gross are integrated into the building: a typographical mural in the entry area as well as a ten-metre-high installation consisting of a colourful stele that is reflected in the adjacent pool, suggesting a flipped-open sculpture.

Trivia…

A fun fact for music and film fans: The Cologne Triangle was for many years the venue of the TV show “Deutschland sucht den Superstar” (Germany’s Looking for the Superstar) and the shooting location of several episodes of the detective series “Tatort” (Crime Scene).