Youth hostels in transition - Cologne-Deutz shows how the future works

Who the Cologne-Deutz Youth Hostel you immediately sense that there is movement here. Not only because young people from all over the world stream through the doors with suitcases and rucksacks every day. But also because this traditional location has been a place of change for decades - and is now once again being given a face that points to the future.

„Transformation is an important part of our work and is firmly anchored in the DJH Rhineland regional association. The best example of this is the Cologne-Deutz Youth Hostel. Here, we not only installed a photovoltaic system in 2024, but also realised a new design concept,“ explains Kevin Schepers, Head of the Construction Department.

From energy manager to experience centre

The photovoltaic system on the roof is more than just a technical detail. It symbolises what youth hostels are all about: they are constantly reinventing themselves without forgetting their roots. For over 100 years, the statutes of the Rhineland regional association have stipulated that nature and resources should be conserved. Today, this means: solar power instead of coal, regional and fair-trade food instead of mass-produced goods, digital services and inclusive workplaces.

Sustainability is not an end in itself, but part of the experience. Anyone staying overnight in Cologne-Deutz will feel that this is a place where community is lived - and at the same time responsible action is taken.

„Typically Cologne“ in a new guise

But it's not just the technology that is changing. The face of the youth hostel itself is also being redesigned. „Diverse, modern and typically Cologne“ is the motto of the new interior design concept. A workshop with an architecture firm got the ideas rolling in 2024: Rooms that are inviting, reflect Cologne's joie de vivre and function sustainably at the same time.

Construction work will start in 2025 - during ongoing operations. So anyone coming to Cologne-Deutz in the next few years will be able to experience how the familiar youth hostel will become an even more modern, colourful place.

Change as tradition

The fact that Cologne-Deutz in particular is undergoing such change is in keeping with its history: the youth hostel has been located on Siegesstraße since 1960, followed by a new building in 2003 - and now, another 20 years later, another major remodelling is underway. Change is a tradition here.

For the DJH Rhineland regional association, progress and living tradition are not contradictory: both belong together when it comes to bringing young people together, promoting community and mastering the challenges of our time.

A future with attitude

Cologne-Deutz Youth Hostel thus symbolises the path that the youth hostels in the Rhineland have taken. They want to become climate-neutral, take responsibility and at the same time create places that inspire.