A New Exhibition and Conference Facility in the Heart of the City

Architectural firm JSWD has designed the future expansion of Koelnmesse, aiming to enhance its urban campus and exhibition schedule by 2030. The investment program, "Koelnmesse 3.0," lays the foundation for future growth and site enhancement, including the redevelopment of Exhibition Hall 1 with approximately 10,000 m² of exhibition space, the construction of a new multifunctional event hall accommodating up to 6,200 participants, and the establishment of a new East-West terminal serving as the central axis with updated entrance gates.Exhibition Hall 1 was completed in 2020, followed by the opening of "Confex" in 2024—a new facility that blends conference and exhibition spaces.

Facade to Confex Plaza, main entrance
Photo credit: HG Esch

JSWD integrated multiple functions into a single cubic structure, achieving a stately yet welcoming appearance. The building presents different characteristics depending on the viewing angle, inspired by the strict vertical segmentation of the existing halls. The rhythmic vertical structure of the façade allows Confex to harmonize with the surrounding trade fair buildings while also serving as a structural endpoint towards Rheinpark in the west.

Aerial view from the Rheinpark with Hall 1 (left side), Confex (right side) and planned East-West-Terminal (competition status)
Photo credit: Koelnmesse / JSWD

Aerial view from the Rheinpark
Photo credit: HG Esch

View from "Messe City Süd"
Photo credit: JSWD

Facing Cologne and MesseCity, the front of the building exhibits grandeur, while the interior appears more compact. Guests arriving from the train station ascend a wide staircase to reach Confex Plaza, a 5,600 m² open-air space designed to generate visibility and welcome visitors before they even step inside. The interior view is layered, with a 27-meter-high arcade serving as an open reception hall. Depending on perspective, 11 slender columns create a curtain-like visual effect. Beneath the arcade’s roof, a translucent, story-high LED screen spans the entire building width, displaying dynamic imagery, messages, colors, and lighting effects. The white façade is horizontally divided into three sections, corresponding to the building’s three stories. Narrow openings for windows and ventilation align with pilaster strips, ensuring consistency across different conference areas.

Confex (left side) and Hall 1 (right side) - view of the city and the cathedral
Photo credit: HG Esch

Rooftop with photovoltaik elements
Photo credit: HG Esch

Entrance from above
Photo credit: HG Esch

Confex and Cologne Cathedral
Photo credit: HG Esch

Confex Plaza and main entrance
Photo credit: HG Esch

Entrance facade with LED screen
Photo credit: HG Esch

Confex offers a highly functional interior, allowing for a wide range of trade fairs, congresses, exhibitions, and events. The main hall can be divided into smaller spaces, while 22 conference rooms of various sizes and flexible connections to other exhibition halls support versatility. Floor-to-ceiling windows on the southern façade provide breathtaking views of Cologne Cathedral and the Rhine. From the light-filled foyer, conference rooms on the upper floors can be accessed via a freestanding escalator and multiple elevators. Additionally, Confex features an entrance from the "Westkopf," enabling multiple independent events to take place simultaneously. Mobile partition walls allow the central hall to be subdivided into two or three separate event areas. The project has already applied for Platinum certification from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). Environmental initiatives include the installation of 500 solar panels on the roof, ensuring sustainable operation. Confex opened just in time for Koelnmesse’s 100th anniversary. The final component of the master plan is now the construction of a new East-West terminal, which will serve as the central axis connecting the buildings.

Entrance hall
Photo credit: HG Esch

Escalators in the entrance hall / foyer
Photo credit: HG Esch

Confex hall with seating
Photo credit: HG Esch

Confex hall during a lecture event
Photo credit: HG Esch

Confex hall during a congress
Photo credit: HG Esch

Locker room
Photo credit: HG Esch

About JSWD

JSWD is an architectural firm founded in Cologne in 2000. Since 2021, it has expanded with locations in Berlin, Germany, and Tampa, Florida, USA. Today, its two founders—Olaf Drehsen and Frederik Jaspert—along with partners Tobias Unterberg, Mario Pirwitz, and Christian Mammel, lead a team of approximately 240 employees from over 30 countries. With more than 60 completed projects across Germany and Europe, JSWD’s portfolio encompasses cultural and event buildings, residential projects, offices, schools, and healthcare facilities, as well as the renovation and repurposing of existing structures. As architects and urban planners, the firm is dedicated to materiality, design, and sustainable planning. From the initial concept to the final handover, JSWD assumes responsibility for the success of each project, often acting as a general planner. By collaborating with architectural firms in countries such as France, Spain, Luxembourg, and the United States, JSWD integrates diverse architectural, technical, and intellectual perspectives to effectively execute joint projects. The firm’s commitment to conceptual and formal clarity is evident in all of its designs. By working with a limited set of clearly defined elements, JSWD creates unique structural and spatial hierarchies, ensuring that each design reflects the identity and values of its users through corporate architecture.