The Düsseldorf office market recorded take-up of 42,000 m² in the first quarter of 2026. This exceeded the result from the prior-year quarter by 8%. Volatile macro and geopolitical developments as well as the stuttering economy continue to determine the market environment. Against this background, it is not surprising that the start of the year in the North Rhine-Westphalian state capital is more subdued than the long-term average (Ø 10 years: 74,400 m²). This is the result of the analysis by BNP Paribas Real Estate.
"The market activity in Düsseldorf is typically determined by small and medium-sized leases of up to 5,000 m², which account for 77% of take-up on a long-term average. So far this year, there has been no deal above this mark," explains Philip Bellenbaum, Düsseldorf branch manager of BNP Paribas Real Estate GmbH. The largest deal can be traced back to RKW Architektur, which is renting 4,500 m² again as an anchor tenant in the KöTower project. The architectural firm will move its headquarters to the 17-storey high-rise building (scheduled for completion by 2028) at Königsallee 106, for which it will also be responsible for the planning. The lease, which had already been concluded in 2021, had previously been cancelled and renegotiated due to the changed timeline of the project.
The limited supply and the unchanged high demand for high-quality space have caused prime rents to rise further in recent months. It is currently trading at €46.00/m², up 6% on the previous year's figure. The average rent has risen even more sharply: it now stands at €22.00/m² (+16%) and documents the disproportionately high demand for modern office space.
