Sustainable communal area in the former swimming pool

The first of the four POHA locations opened to date, POHA House Preuswald is surrounded by nature. Nestled in the outskirts of Aachen, it is surrounded by forests that stretch across the nearby Belgian border, yet is well connected to the city center. With its 84 apartments of various sizes, which together with shared rooms make up a total of 124 rentable units, it is also the first POHA House to cater to all target groups, including families with children.

"The Preuswald district is not only a perfect starting point for outdoor activities, but also impresses with its infrastructure," says Lea Mishra, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of POHA House. A primary school and a daycare center are located in the immediate vicinity, as are a newly opened supermarket, parcel stations, a branch of the city library, and stops for three different bus lines. "POHA House Preuswald combines the best of both worlds – the vastness of nature and the proximity of all urban amenities," Lea Mishra continues: "Here, everyone can fulfill their dream of living in modern, all-inclusive shared apartments, in apartments with views of the beautiful forest, and in the 500-square-meter oasis of well-being, where you can network, work, cook, relax, play the piano, and enjoy a variety of experiences."

The core of the Cospace concept is precisely this community space, which is now located in the former swimming pool, which has been closed for many years, and offers various rooms covering almost 500 square meters. Individual design elements such as the wave-shaped acoustic panels or lifebuoy lamps are reminiscent of the building's former use.

"Our community areas are the highlight of POHA House Preuswald," says Yianni Tsitouras, co-founder and CEO: "There, we combine coworking spaces, a cozy lounge, a large terrace with a view of the forest, a dining room where professional cooking classes can be organized, and many special places to relax and network for our residents." These are spaces that benefit all residents, but can also be used by other guests for a fee – for example, residents of the neighborhood who use the coworking space as their home office because they don't have a study at home.

Designed by Urselmann Interior, the space is a pioneer in sustainability: wherever possible, sustainable, recycled, and reusable materials were used. This applies to more than 95 percent of the materials used for the furnishings (33.4% C2C-certified, 7.4% C2C-inspired, and 54.4% reused). Looking at the A1 to A3 manufacturing phases, 111.73 cubic meters of water consumption and as much as 15.49 tons of_CO2 equivalents were saved. Not only are almost all furnishings recycled, but the doors, floors, and carpets are also recycled or made from reprocessed materials. Many items tell their own story, such as the old marble counter, which looks back on a former life in a former Frankfurt bank, or the refurbished chairs and doors from a former school. The patio furniture was made from old radiators and some of the lamps were made from mushrooms.

POHA House Aachen-Preuswald is located in Waldmarke, a residential dream with a view that has been completely renovated by Landmarken AG and Stadtmarken GmbH. The 14-story high-rise building at Altenberger Strasse 4, which the previous owner had planned to demolish, was saved by extensive renovation, with around 5,700 square meters of living space. The optimal floor plans of the residential units remained 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 Belgium. The revitalization of this landmark, visible from afar, was a flagship project for the upgrading of the district.