#21 From Insurance Building to Design Hotel – The 25hours Hotel The Circle in Cologne

What does it take to transform a 1950s office building into a design hotel? The 25hours Hotel The Circle in Cologne provides the answer. The round building, once the headquarters of the Gerling Group, embodies the conservative post-war architecture. Between 2015 and 2018, the architectural firm Ortner and Ortner Baukunst modernized the building – with finesse and respect for its history.

Today, the hotel demonstrates how tradition and modernity can be combined. The listed natural stone façade was renovated under strict regulations. Golden accents and the open south side lend the round building lightness and elegance. Inside, the lobby surprises with retro-futuristic charm – a design reminiscent of comics and space travel.

The architecture is a reflection of its time. It tells of the economic miracle and the optimism that saw technology as the solution to all problems in the 1950s. This heritage has been preserved by the hotel – and simultaneously breathed new life into it. Experts in this episode: Prof. Christian Heuchel – Architect at URBANLUST Marco Makowski – General Manager of the 25hours Hotel The Circle

Further links: Client: IMMOFINANZ Friesenquartier GmbH, Cologne Architecture: Ortner & Ortner Baukunst, Cologne, with studio aisslinger, Berlin User: 25hours Hotel Company FAF PODCAST WALK Köln on YouTube FAF – Farbe, Ausbau & Fassade: 20th to 23rd April 2027 in Cologne

The podcast: Architektourist offers an auditory journey through our built environment. In each episode, we take you into the world of architecture. and building materials, explore creative applications and delve into the stories behind the construction projects – from the first sketch to the finished implementation.

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