Motel One

Cologne, Germany

Within the framework of the objectives of the master plan "East-West Axis", the development of the former parking garage fits in as a new link in the row along Cäcilien street. The structure sees itself as a link between  listed post-war buildings in the west and more recent buildings in the eastern part of the street. Height development and formulation of the building's façade structure confirm the claim to integrate into the  immediate surroundings. The basic structure of the façade is on the one hand a clear grid work, which is derived from the internal structure, and on the other hand the division of the building into base, body and head. The clarity and austerity of the neighboring buildings from the 1950s is translated into a contemporary architectural language . A balanced relationship between closed and open façade surfaces characterize the  resting in itself building body, which thus experiences a certain presence in the street space without playing itself into the foreground. Uniform large-format window openings support the open character of the building, which reflects the use of a hotel. In addition to the outer shell, the inner façade level also becomes a theme of the overall concept. Curtains in the hotel rooms range from brown-beige to blue-turquoise shades, in which the color scheme of the hotel operator is reflected, enriching in a subtle way the facade.