A groundbreaking cooperative housing project in northeastern Aachen has successfully demonstrated how future residents can actively participate in the planning process, moving beyond mere rhetoric to genuine collaboration. Sixteen households joined forces under the umbrella organization Ko-Operativ eG NRW to secure a ground lease agreement with the city of Aachen and bring their vision of community living to life.
The project, called "Miteinander im Wiesental" (Together in Wiesental), emerged from a multiple commission process that selected office03 from Cologne as the architectural firm. The result is a striking five-story polygonal tower featuring protruding and receding elements that create visual interest while maximizing the use of an irregularly shaped building site. Forty percent of the apartments qualify as subsidized housing, ensuring economic diversity within the community.
With a gross floor area of approximately 2,100 square meters, the building seamlessly integrates into the urban densification of former brownfield sites, positioned between the edge of small garden plots and an industrially influenced, transforming area. The irregular cut of the building plot largely determined the structure's form, prompting office03 to respond with a seven-sided volume featuring a distinctive notch that accentuates the entrance.
The interior design continues the polygonal approach with a pentagonal stairwell that serves as the spatial center of the building. From this central point, residents access apartments that architects and future inhabitants developed collaboratively. The apartments range from 47 to 133 square meters and are oriented toward green spaces in the east, west, or south directions. Private outdoor spaces including terraces, loggias, and balconies are integral features of each unit.
The ground floor consolidates various communal functions that foster community interaction. These include a garden-related community room, a multifunctional space equipped for workbench activities, bicycle storage, and laundry facilities, as well as a small guest apartment. A shared roof terrace provides additional communal space for residents to gather and socialize.
Constructionally, the building employs a hybrid wood system that combines massive construction in the ground floor and stair core with timber frame construction in the upper levels. The laminated timber ceilings remain visible throughout the apartments, creating a pleasant material consistency that brings warmth to the interior spaces. The stair core, topped with a skylight, was deliberately left in its raw state to maintain an honest expression of materials.
The facade treatment differentiates the ground floor with green plaster, while the upper floors feature a ventilated wood facade with varying widths of profile boards that give the building a subtle, rhythmic texture. This material strategy creates visual hierarchy while maintaining cohesion throughout the structure.
The project has garnered significant recognition, including the 2024 Architecture Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia. Office03 brings extensive experience in cooperative housing development, having previously realized the "Grüner Weiler" (Green Hamlet) project in Münster. This latest achievement in Aachen demonstrates how thoughtful collaboration between architects and residents can create innovative housing solutions that prioritize community while addressing contemporary urban housing challenges.
