Bernd Hensel and Jörg Kempenich, managing directors of the Renum Group, have given the project the name V2 Offices. What is behind this title? Hensel explains: "Two letters V next to each other make a W - and that stands for our third partner Wilfried Wöhler, who unfortunately has already passed away. But he was involved in the project development for a long time."

Office and commercial campus in Beuel-Ost

V2-Offices is an office and commercial complex that was built according to the most modern ecological criteria, say the investors. Architect Albert Leorato of the Bonn-based firm Oezen-Reimer und Partner commented at the topping-out ceremony in 2022: "The proportion of green space on the site will be increased from 14 to 70 per cent compared to its earlier use."

For the commercial development of the remaining plot, Hensel and his colleague are already planning the next two projects in Beuel. The just-completed office complex will be followed by two more construction phases in the next few years. In its February meeting, the city council already agreed to the Renum Group's wish to change the development plan for the area Pützchens Chaussee 22 to 24 accordingly for commercial office use.

Fitness studio remains as tenant

The "Five Star" fitness studio has been located on the site for twelve years and, according to Hensel, would like to stay there. For this reason, the planned development will take place in two steps so that the studio can remain open. In a first step, the hall will be reduced from 4000 to 2500 square metres. The remaining part will then be demolished. After completion of the new hall, the studio will move and the rest of the old hall will then be demolished. In the third construction phase, either a restaurant or a café will move in on the ground floor.

An underground car park with 100 parking spaces has been built on the 20,000-square-metre site, and another will follow, which means that after all three construction phases have been completed, there will be 350 parking spaces for cars and 250 for bicycles. There will be two access roads: one from Pützchens Chaussee and one from Röhfeldstraße.

Parallel to the development plan amendment procedure, the architectural office is developing the construction plans and the building application. "We will probably start building in 2025 and plan a construction period of two years," explains Bernd Hensel. The first construction phase cost 32 million euros. Hensel cannot yet say exactly how expensive the next two construction phases will be: "Calculating is currently difficult because of material prices, labour wages and construction interest rates."

6600 square metres of office space have been occupied

In the first construction phase, the structural engineering firm HZI - Henneker, Zillinger Ingenieure - has already moved in with 90 employees. The next tenants to move in are employees of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. On the ground floor, a physiotherapy practice will move into one corner of the corner building. A total of 6600 square metres of office space is available.

"We place a lot of emphasis on green spaces with a high quality of life for the users. This gives the quarter a very individual feel," explains Bernd Hensel. One of the plans is to build a piazza where the employees of the companies located there can take a walk. In reference to Beuel's industrial history, the building façades were designed in traditional peat-fired bricks. "This character is underlined by anodised window profiles in bronze and given a contemporary twist," says Hensel.

Brine water pumps reach 100 metres deep into the earth

Four-storey building complexes were erected on the respective flanks of Röhfeldstraße and Pützchens Chaussee. A geothermal energy concept ensures efficient, environmentally friendly heating and cooling of the rooms. "To guarantee this, reversible brine-water pumps reach up to 100 metres deep into the ground," Hensel emphasises. The electricity needs of the technical systems with ventilation control centre, heat pumps and lifts are covered by a photovoltaic system. An extensive green roof is also planned. "The sustainable energy efficiency has already been certified in advance with gold by the German Sustainable Building Council," Hensel continues.

Already 20 years ago, the Renum Group acquired the first section of the 20,000 square metre site and rented out the properties there. Six years ago, the investor bought the remaining areas. In 2018, the investor had started a first development attempt. At that time, the plan was for residential use. "After we initially received many positive signals about our building project because of the need for housing in Bonn, we ultimately still received a negative response from the city of Bonn. We would have built 100 flats there," says Hensel. Apparently, residential construction on the edge of a commercial area was not permissible.

(Original text: Holger Willcke; Translation: Jean Lennox)