Clouth Quartier
A new Cologne neighborhood on a former rubber-works site, with listed Clouth factory buildings, a large airship-themed square and a historical trail of 15 information boards.
The district is being built on the grounds of two former companies, Clouth Gummiwerke AG and Land- und Seekabelwerke AG. Besides housing, it will also provide space for around 500 jobs.
Source: Wikipedia
At a Glance
- Type
- new neighborhood, still under construction (as of 2026)
- Location
- Nippes district, Cologne; bordered by Xantener Straße to the north, Johannes-Giesberts-Park to the east and Niehler Straße to the west; to the south it ends just beyond Seekabelstraße with the historic Clouth company housing
- Area
- 0.15 square kilometers
- Apartments
- about 1,100 of the planned 1,200 completed (July 2026)
- First residents
- December 2015
- Final construction phase
- in the northeast, started June 2025
The canopy at Gate 4 of the Clouth site could not be preserved in its original form during demolition: it was dismantled in late summer 2014 and replaced in January 2016 by a faithful replica.
From Factory Grounds to Neighborhood
The Clouth rubber works closed in 2005. An urban planning competition in 2009 was followed by a legally binding development plan. Demolition and remediation of the site lasted until 2013. A memorial plaque at Gate 2 gives the years 1864 to 2009 for the Clouth works.
Preserved Industrial Heritage
Several buildings of the works are listed and have been preserved, renovated or incorporated into new buildings. On Niehler Straße, these include the roughly 240-meter-long façade with its front garden, wall and fence, as well as the administration building in the northwest with its green spaces and the gatehouse at Gate 2. On Seekabelstraße, parts of the south façade of Halls 29 a and 29 c and the Gate 1 gatehouse follow. Also preserved are storage building 18 b on Xantener Straße, Hall 17 at Luftschiff-Platz, and the gatehouse and canopy at Gate 4. Contrary to plans, the canopy could not be preserved in its original form: it was dismantled in late summer 2014 and replaced by a faithful reconstruction in January 2016.
The Historical Trail
On 14 June 2023, the association Industriedenkmal Clouth e.V. opened a historical trail. Its 15 information boards are spread across the entire neighborhood and tell the story of the Clouth works.
Luftschiff-Platz
The central square lies west of Hall 17 and measures 60 by 128 meters. It is the largest in the neighborhood and was completed in August 2021. Its name recalls that the Clouth rubber works built airships here in the early 20th century. A playground for toddlers has been open since 2020, and equipment for older children was added in the southern part in August 2021. There are also lawns, paved areas suitable for play, benches and outdoor dining in the northeast corner.
Timeline
- 1864Start of the Clouth works (period 1864–2009 per memorial plaque)
- 2005Clouth rubber works shut down
- 2009Urban planning competition; development plan becomes legally binding
- 2013Demolition and remediation of the site completed
- Dezember 2015First apartments occupied
- Januar 2016Faithful reconstruction of the canopy at Gate 4
- 14. Juni 2023Historical trail with 15 information boards opened
- Juni 2025Construction of the final building phase begins
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Sources & links
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-10-24
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