Aachen District Administration Building Extension

The transfer of new responsibilities, such as the centralization of organizational units and the housing of the Aachen City Region special-purpose association, necessitated an extension of the Aachen District Administration. The design by the Berlin architectural firm BKSZ was awarded first prize in an architectural competition, and its realization was approved. The building will be constructed under a PPP model following a Europe-wide tender. The extension was designed as a standalone building, situated directly next to the existing administration building from the 1950s. The main entrance, like that of the existing building, faces Zollernstrasse. From an urban planning perspective, the new building completes the block and, together with the existing structure, creates a public, tranquil inner courtyard. Two underground parking levels provide sufficient parking for employees and visitors. The new five-story building accommodates a media hall and a canteen with outdoor dining on the ground floor. The first floor houses the parliamentary group rooms and their associated offices. General office spaces are located on the second to fourth floors. The flush, curtain wall facade presents an engaging interplay between floor-to-ceiling panel elements made of colored aluminum sheets, HPL panels, and glazing. State-of-the-art building technology contributes to energy savings and optimized operating costs. Concrete core activation of the floor slabs provides heating for the usable areas, including basic ventilation, and simultaneously offers, in conjunction with ground absorbers, potential cooling during summer. The DDC building management system and the energy management system, among other features, ensure the smoothing of peak loads. Furthermore, the building is equipped with a rainwater harvesting system for toilet flushing and fiber optic cabling for data and communication facilities.