Wednesday, 6 May 2026
Swiss Life Asset Managers has signed a long-term lease agreement with POHA House for approximately 6,800 sqm of gross floor area within the “Cologne West” redevelopment project in Cologne-Braunsfeld. The agreement fully lets the first development plot of the wider mixed-use scheme.
The property at Eupener Straße 137, formerly an office tower within the area’s former technology park, will be converted into a co-living development offering 171 apartments alongside co-working areas, fitness facilities and communal spaces aimed at temporary urban living.
The lease runs for 20 years and supports the planned transformation of the existing building into an energy-efficient residential-led asset. The redevelopment forms part of the broader Cologne West urban quarter, where approximately five building plots are planned with a mix of office, residential, education, wellness and event-related uses.
The project will follow a “back-to-the-structure” redevelopment model, with the existing office building stripped back to its structural frame before reconstruction begins. Swiss Life Asset Managers said it is targeting DGNB Platinum certification for the completed property.
“The signing of the lease agreement with POHA House marks a significant milestone for the project development. The conversion into a vibrant co-living concept impressively demonstrates the potential inherent in the sustainable redevelopment of existing properties,” said Mario Böttger, Head of RE Development Living Region Cologne at Swiss Life Asset Managers in Germany.
Demolition works are expected to begin in summer 2026, while completion is scheduled for summer 2028.
POHA House said the project aligns with its focus on community-oriented urban living concepts.
“POHA House was created precisely for projects like this: to revitalize an existing building with energy, purpose, and human connection,” said Yianni Tsitouras, CEO of POHA House.
“Our co-spaces are an answer to loneliness and the question of how we can make urban life more sustainable,” he added.
Leonie Heuschäfer, Head of Expansion at POHA House, said: “Together with Swiss Life Asset Managers, we want to show that urban living in the future will be more flexible, more conscious, and above all, more human.”
Matthias Schmidt, Head of Real Estate Development at Swiss Life Asset Managers in Germany, said the leasing reflects the company’s strategy of pursuing resilient and sustainable real estate concepts with long-term occupiers.
