Way of living

Watchful without drawing attention — security as a system.

Security should not be seen but relied upon. Alarm, cameras, access control and video entry we plan as one system on a stable network foundation — operated at the same place as lighting and shading.

One systemAlarm, video, access, network
400 yearsOldest building we have secured
In the houserecording instead of cloud
Panic roomspecial areas can be planned
Our approach

Security you do not notice day to day.

No false-alarm frustration

A system nobody arms protects nothing. We plan from everyday use outwards: the perimeter first, detectors with pet immunity, links to presence and shading — so that the system stays in use.

Discreet in the building fabric

Cameras, detectors and door stations are visible components. We agree positions, form and colour with the architecture and the façade — at the 400-year-old manor house in Cologne it was exactly that restraint which counted.

Your data stays with you

Recording in the technical room rather than on a subscription, cameras on their own network segment, access over a secured connection rather than an open port forward. Privacy zones mask out what you are not allowed to record.

In detail

What defines this living theme.

Four layers that only together add up to security — and a foundation laid at shell stage.

01

Alarm & video surveillance

Intruder alarm technology to proven VdS logic: the outer skin before the interior, opening and bolt contacts, glass-break detection on large fixed glazing, tamper and line monitoring. Cameras with a planned field of view and pixel density, recording in the house, analytics instead of a motion alarm for every branch.

02

Access without a bunch of keys

Motor lock, fingerprint, code or transponder — with permission profiles and time windows for cleaners, tradespeople and guests. Gate and garage door run with it, and arriving triggers light and scene straight away.

03

Occupancy simulation that convinces

No rigid schedule: lighting groups and blinds follow dusk and your actual pattern of use, with a random offset. From outside an occupied house, no recognisable pattern.

04

Connectivity as the foundation

Structured Cat cabling, planned access point positions, VLAN separation of family, guests, cameras and building services, remote access over VPN. Without this foundation, any security system is only as stable as the weakest Wi-Fi.

Timing

When you decide what.

Security is not a device you buy later. It takes shape at five points in the build.

01 · Design

Where the technical room sits, how many network outlets go where, and where spare capacity remains. A house with no spare capacity in the network runs out of room in ten years — and afterwards, every extra outlet is a building job.

02 · Shell stage

Conduits to the gate, garage, carport and garden house. The cheapest component in the whole house — and the one component you can add later only by chasing out walls.

03 · Façade

Camera positions and the door station belong on the façade drawing, not on the snagging list. We agree them with the architect and the door manufacturer, so that nothing looks tacked on later.

04 · Fit-out

Access control, alarm, video and video entry come onto one interface — operated from the same switches as lighting and shading, not from four separate apps.

05 · Handover

Who may do what, and when? We hand over roles, codes and permissions in documented form — with instructions that are still understandable in two years' time.

Proven

Secured without disturbing the character.

01

Manor house in Cologne, 400 years old

Listed and without major building work: intruder alarm, access control, Siedle exterior camera and garden irrigation over an intelligent wireless system.

02

Period building, Düsseldorf-Oberkassel

Video entry with DoorBird, shading and a complete electrical installation — integrated precisely into historic fabric.

03

Protected rooms

For clients with a heightened need for protection we plan panic rooms, safe rooms and walk-in vaults with their own supply and a secured alarm line — discreet and unremarkable day to day.

View all projects
What lies behind it

The services behind this living theme.

Each planned on its own, at their strongest in combination.

Three perspectives

The same house, two further perspectives.

Most projects need all three — we plan them on one system so that they do not get in one another's way.

Where we work

Security & connectivity in Cologne, Düsseldorf & NRW.

smartfabrik is a smart home planning practice based in Düsseldorf (Reisholzer Werftstr. 31A). We plan for private clients and companies in Cologne, Düsseldorf and across North Rhine-Westphalia — and, where wanted, nationwide and internationally. A selection of the places we have already planned and delivered in:

FAQ

Clearly answered.

Will the alarm system be recognised by the insurer?

That depends on your insurer's requirements and on the particular policy. We design the intruder alarm system to established VdS logic and document detector allocation, arming zones and interlocking so that the system stands up to scrutiny by insurers. We establish beforehand, together with you, which requirements apply in your case.

Can security be integrated cleanly in a full refurbishment as well?

Yes. In an existing building we first check which cable routes are realistic and add wireless where cabling would be disproportionate. At the 400-year-old manor house in Cologne we delivered alarm, access control and camera in exactly this way, without opening a single wall.

Where is my camera footage stored?

In the house. The recorder sits in the technical room, you set the retention period, and overwriting runs automatically. Cameras sit in their own network segment with no route to the internet; access while you are away runs over a secured VPN connection rather than a manufacturer's cloud.

Do you also plan panic rooms or safe rooms?

Yes, for clients with a heightened need for protection. That includes a power supply of its own, redundant alarm paths to the outside, a control panel with camera access, control of security doors and monitoring of gun rooms and walk-in vaults. We treat these projects confidentially.

The first step

Let's talk about your security concept.

From the first drawing to handover — matched to your house, not out of a catalogue.

We use your details solely to deal with this enquiry. More in our privacy notice.

Prefer to call? +49 211 838 66 870