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Cologne University of Music and Dance

A place for great performances: with a carefully considered design, Zentrale Technik created a new setting for art, movement and exchange.
  • The Cologne University of Music and Dance photographed from the air. © STRABAG SE
    The Cologne University of Music and Dance photographed from the air. © STRABAG SE
Client
Bau- und Liegenschaftsbetrieb NRW
Contractor
Ed. Züblin AG
Location
Cologne
Participation ZT
2022 - 2026
Type of building
Building construction
Construction method
Construction in existing buildings, and new buildings in a high-density inner-city context
A number of wooden roof beams form the framework of the new, energy-efficiently renovated roof. © STRABAG SE

High spatial density meets the highest demands

In future, the Cologne University of Music and Dance not only will offer classrooms, practice rooms and seminar rooms, but also a concert hall, dance hall, library, cafeteria, a crèche and extensive administrative spaces - all compactly housed on an inner-city site in the immediate vicinity of residential buildings.

The extension will create an exceptionally compact building within the existing inner-city fabric, meeting the highest standards in terms of functionality, sound insulation and technical integration.

The visualisation shows the new extension to the Cologne University of Music and Dance. © HPP Architekten GmbH

Following a period of review, Zentrale Technik took on the complete redesign – tackling tasks that went far beyond the usual scope.

Part of the site is located in a building dating from 1911. At the start of the project, its structural framework and condition were inadequately documented. Although the building was not a listed monument, the renovation was to be carried out in a way that preserved the existing structure. Combined with the extensive spatial requirements and the sophisticated technical specifications, this resulted in one of the most complex tasks that the design units at Zentrale Technik have ever undertaken in a public construction project.

  • Together with its General Design Contractor department, Züblin played a key role in the timely completion of the project.

    Bau- und Liegenschaftsbetrieb NRW

Tailor-made design for a highly complex building

Building in existing structures: new floors and ceilings are installed in the HfMT to improve its load-bearing capacity. © STRABAG SE

General Design Contractor services in the ongoing construction process

Particular challenges arose from the fact that, as part of the ongoing construction work, all existing ceilings and the entire roof structure were dismantled and rebuilt in accordance with current standards – whilst construction work continued in parallel. The designers at Zentrale Technik responded with flexibility, coordinating closely with the on-site construction and project team, and continuously developing tailored solutions to adapt the execution design to the actual conditions on site. Our in-depth expertise in building in existing structures and concrete repair was just as crucial here as the close collaboration betweenn design and construction.

The picture shows several cranes during construction on the roof of the new building with the older HfMT buildings in the background - a perfect symbol for our General Design Contractor services. © STRABAG SE

Interdisciplinary solutions from a single entity

The fact that the project remained manageable and controllable despite massive challenges is down to the collaboration of experienced specialists from across the entire Zentrale Technik. All design services were coordinated and delivered in-house. The fully model-based approach helped to make complex coordination between architecture, engineering and the existing building transparent – particularly with regard to acoustic and fire protection, MEP-services integration, and the sensitive uses of the University of Music and Dance.

In addition to the challenges posed by the existing building, the construction of the new hybrid building in particular placed the highest demands on design and execution: here, a concert hall, an overlying dance studio and further rehearsal rooms were integrated into a stacked spatial concept – complemented by a public foyer, café areas and administrative spaces. The spatial density, complex room-within-a-room systems, highly sensitive soundproofing and numerous penetrations for technical installations required exceptionally precise and interdisciplinary design work across all specialist disciplines.

Building for Education - with Precision, Expertise and Teamwork

The Cologne University of Music and Dance project demonstrates how interdisciplinary design, digital working methods and the close integration of design and construction can lead to a successful outcome, even under the most challenging conditions. Zentrale Technik’s ability to analyse complex existing buildings, implement innovative spatial concepts in new buildings, and respond flexibly to new insights during the construction process made it the cornerstone of this challenging project – in both the existing and new buildings.

Services

  • Engineering services according to HOAI
    • Parts of Service Phase 3: Conceptual Design
    • Service Phase 4: Design for Planning Approval
    • Service Phase 5: Execution Design
  • General Design Contractor
    • Comprehensive General Design Contractor services involving all relevant specialist disciplines of the ZT
  • Smart Engineering
    • BIM management
    • Model-based processing across all service phases
    • Supporting the operational unit in preparing the specialist models for quantity determination