Weltstadthaus
Renzo Piano's glass department store on Schildergasse, affectionately nicknamed "the Whale" by Cologne's locals for its shape.
since 2005
In the middle of Cologne's Schildergasse shopping street stands a building whose curved glass skin sets it clearly apart from its neighbours. Opened in 2005, the Weltstadthaus was designed by the Italian star architect Renzo Piano and houses a fashion store operated by Peek & Cloppenburg.
At a Glance
- Architect
- Renzo Piano
- Opened
- 7 September 2005
- Operator
- Peek & Cloppenburg (Düsseldorf)
- Retail space
- 14,400 m² (130 m long, 60 m wide)
- Atrium
- View across five storeys up to a height of 34 m
- Glass façade
- 4,900 m² made of 6,800 individual panes
- Nickname
- "the Whale"
Age comparison
Age compared with other places in Cologne.
Architecture
The heart of the building is its curved glass façade: 4,900 square metres, assembled from 6,800 individual panes and carried by 66 glued laminated timber beams of Siberian larch. This delicate wood-and-glass construction takes its cue from the orangeries and the great steel-and-glass greenhouses of the 19th century, such as the famous Kew Gardens in London. The northern side façade, by contrast, is solid, made of 4,400 square metres of natural stone. Inside, 3,400 square metres of stone flooring from St. Bartholomae in Portugal were laid, along with 10,800 square metres of parquet. An atrium opens up a view across five storeys to a height of 34 metres. The building's dome remains closed to the public due to official regulations and is reserved for special events hosted by the store.
The Whale
The building's curved silhouette recalls the hull of a ship – though some see in it a stranded whale instead. That is exactly where the Cologne nickname "the Whale" (Walfisch) comes from, the name under which the Weltstadthaus is known around town. Internally, the company also refers to it as the "5th Weltstadthaus".
History
The road to opening was a long one: a years-long legal dispute over structural defects in the solid construction brought work on the half-finished shell to a temporary standstill. Only afterwards could the building be completed. The Weltstadthaus was also built over the top of the Nord-Süd-Fahrt thoroughfare.
Awards
The unusual design earned several accolades: in 2005 the building received an honourable mention at the "German Timber Construction Award", followed in 2006 by the "Special Jury Award" of the MIPIM Awards.
Gallery
Map
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Address
Schildergasse 65-67
50667 Köln
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Sources & links
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-07-20
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