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Law House of the University of Cologne: Decay and dispute over the future of the monument!
The empty law house at the University of Cologne has been falling into disrepair for years. The reasons are monument protection, high renovation costs and security problems.
Law House of the University of Cologne: Decay and dispute over the future of the monument!
A shocking sight awaits passers-by on Gottfried-Keller-Strasse in Cologne: the former law house of the University of Cologne, an architectural legacy of the 1970s, has been empty for over five years and is visibly falling into disrepair. Graffiti and trash bear witness to the neglect, while a homeless young man gathers his few belongings under a sheet at the entrance. A sad picture that reflects the ignorance towards this important building.
The Law House, which formerly housed the Institutes of International Law, has no longer been in operation since 2019. The university has stopped using the building, and the historic preservation order makes renovation complicated and expensive. According to a university spokeswoman, a historic renovation would cost two to three times as much as a new building. In addition, serious problems such as asbestos, inadequate fire protection and inadequate thermal insulation are known. The university has already filed a lawsuit against the city to demolish the building, but negotiations are dragging on.
The city of Cologne is silent about renovation plans
The city of Cologne remains silent about the legal house's stagnating restructuring plans. A city spokeswoman was unable to provide any new status and emphasized that responsibility for the renovation lies with the university management. Meanwhile, the building is being protected from vandalism, graffiti is being removed, but the university's priorities lie elsewhere. The limited financial resources are used for research and teaching, not for the restoration of a building that was once considered an important example of the architecture of its time.
The city curator describes the law house as an “extremely high-quality example” of brutalist architecture. But the reality is different: Former employees report a dilapidated condition, broken elevators and homeless people who have settled in the building. The future of the law house remains uncertain as the decline continues inexorably.