POHA House in Aachen's Preuswald forest
The renovation of the high-rise building in Aachen's Preuswald district is complete, and the first tenants are ready to move in. The 14-story building from the 1970s, which had recently begun to show its age, was completely renovated by a team from Landmarken AG and Stadtmarken GmbH and restored to what it was 50 years ago: a true dream home with a view. POHA House will take over the building as a co-space operator.
The structural challenges were enormous. It was not without reason that the previous owner and other prospective buyers had plans to demolish the building. However, the purchaser, Guter Freund am Preuswald GmbH und Co. KG, deliberately chose the most sustainable option: to save the existing living space through extensive renovation. The approximately 5,600 m² of living space was revitalized in an enormous effort, and with a total of 84 new apartments, there is now even one more than before. "To achieve this, parts of the high-rise building were demolished down to the shell and, among other things, it was given a new façade including new windows, a new roof, new electrical installations, and new elevators," says Boris Krott, team leader of the construction and project management department at Stadtmarken. The heating, plumbing, and ventilation systems were also replaced and brought up to the latest technical standards. The highest requirements had to be met, especially in the area of fire protection.
The facts and figures for the completed Waldmarke, as the highly visible building is now called, are impressive: for example, 740 new doors were installed, over 500 windows were replaced, and around 8,500 m² of facade was renovated. The floor plans of the residential units remained largely unchanged: from single apartments to family apartments, everything is available on every floor. The upper floors in particular offer fantastic views of the countryside and far into neighboring Belgium.
"The name Waldmarke was chosen deliberately. It stands for a location that has once again become a brand," says Arthur Kochel, project manager at Landmarken, adding: "Our project is contributing to the revitalization of the entire Preuswald district, which will once again have a lot to offer families, singles, couples, and residents of all generations."
POHA House takes over operations
The operator of the Waldmarke will be POHA House, a sister company from the Landmarken family. POHA House operates co-spaces for communal living, working, and gathering under one roof. The young start-up's first POHA House was launched in Münster in 2022 with 313 apartments and is fully let. In Aachen, the first of two inner-city POHA Houses will open in July at Theaterplatz 1. The second, at Dahmengraben, is also set to follow this year. The target groups are mostly singles or couples who are looking for shared experiences, want to combine living and working, or are new to the city and want to quickly make connections.
In contrast, the target group for Waldmarke in Preuswald, with its family-friendly apartments, is completely open. "When we founded POHA House, we placed particular emphasis on thinking bigger in terms of co-spaces – more options, more variety, more diverse target groups. Because all generations should have access to this new way of living," says Lea Mishra, co-founder of POHA House. "Now, in Preuswald, we are not only opening our first location in nature, but also our first house where absolutely everyone, including families with children, can find a home."
POHA House is supported by the Wohnen team at Stadtmarken GmbH in the commercial and technical management of the forest brand.
The first 27 apartments have already been handed over
The first 27 apartments have already been handed over. From the first to the 14th floor, 57 apartments ranging in size from 70 to 95 square meters are still available, which can be rented furnished or unfurnished. The development of the high-rise extension is a treat for Waldmarke tenants, but also for other residents in the neighborhood. A community area is being created on the site of a disused swimming pool, which will open in early 2024 with co-working areas, a lounge, a bar and dining area, and workshop space. POHA House has a community manager who takes care of residents' concerns and the operational management of the building, as well as organizing exciting events, workshops, and sports classes for the community. This area will then be open not only to all Waldmarke residents, but also to all neighbors via club membership. There are also plans to retrofit an open space on the ground floor, which could be used to create a "WashBar," a laundromat with a bar, and a bicycle room with an e-charging station and repair area.
"Aachen-Preuswald marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for POHA House," says CEO Yianni Tsitouras. "With intelligent design and over 500 square meters of communal space, we are redefining what a home is and what it means to live in a community. A place where not only our residents, but all local residents can be part of."
