Aiming at a high-rise building in which people can really live
Christoph Ingenhoven,Achim Nagel

Ingenhoven Overdiek Kahlen und Partner (IOK)
 Established in 1992. Their representative works include Wan Guang International Plaza (completion in 2000) in Shanghai, Amonhof Hotel in Dresden, etc, as well as the RWE Tower.

Christoph Ingenhoven
Born 1960 in Duesseldorf. Studied in Rhine-Westphalian Technical College and an art school in Duesseldorf. Started an architectual firm in 1985. Then, founded IOK in 1992.

Achim Nagel
Born 1959 in Rheine, Rhine-Westphalia. Studied in Hannover Technical College. Worked at an architectual firm. Participated in IOK from 1993 onwards.


A sketch for the earlier stage of construction,
drawn by the designers
by Ingenhoven Overdick Kahlen und Partner		 When we planned the RWE Tower, we presupposed the following concepts:
  • In the new building, colleagues as well as visitors should work in comfort.
  • For that purpose, clarity is not only raised to the style, but also utilized.
  • Sunlight, room temperature and natural ventilation can be controlled individually.
  • The building is intented to be incorporated into the city plan of Essen, Germany.
To be precise, the main theme is ecology, which we consider as the most important subject for architectural planning today. We have aimed at a quite different type of high rise from the conventional American energy- consuming model. It must have some linkage with the dream shared by Mies van der Rohe and other architects at the beginning of this century to build truly clear buildings.

Such an intention has been actualized by the high technology we have developed in recent years. The new system consists of a double-skin glass facade and some incorporated devices to control and utilize the sunlight and to regulate the intake and outtake of air. A building constructed with this system will be provided with some 70% of its air annually by natural ventilation. To cope with more severe climate, some air-conditioners are indeed required, but they are merely subsidiary - we call them "suspender belts".

As such, we have created a quite new type of high rise, which does not restrict the space and health of people living there.


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