Text description provided by the architects. After a construction period of almost two years, Trianel GmbH this summer moved into its company headquarters in Aachen, which had been designed by the architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners. The utility company now has over 300 employees in the new building who previously were spread out over three locations in Aachen. The office block has a floor area of 6,300 square metres and can accommodate up to 430 members of staff.
The four-storey building is located along a major road right next to the “Neuer Tivoli” football stadium. With its tranquil, trapeze-shaped form the office building responds to the neighbourhood‘s diversity of colours and building shapes; its central axis is aligned with the central axis of the stadium. Opposite the long edge of the trapeze is a small wooded area which provides a pleasant aspect through the generously glazed façades. By moving the building forward from the adjacent stadium, it becomes prominent enough to be recognised at its address along the busy road.
The horizontal solar screening louvres and façade bands made of white-painted aluminium contribute to a harmonious overall appearance: they emphasise the basic shape of the building and provide a tranquil exterior while underscoring its recognisability. Behind the solar screening are large glazed areas which provide views to the outside and also admit sufficient daylight. On the inside, the white façade bands continue at the gallery façade and the white paint finish is repeated on all interior steel components. This is contrasted by dark fitted carpets in the offices and dark natural stone in the public areas.
The interior design of the new office building underscores the network structure of the company: while the ground floor with its cafés, auditorium and a library is mostly used by the public, the floors above consist of flexibly divisible office areas. These areas are grouped around a central atrium which, in addition to the glazed office partitions, provides vistas across several levels. But the central orientation of the offices not only creates a visual connection between staff - there are several stairs and catwalks that ensure short distances between the departments. Communication and relaxation areas with kitchenettes, as well as ‘think tank’ and conference facilities are distributed across the building in the form of a network and thus promote both formal and informal communication. An 800 square metre large trading floor forms the heart of the building where electricity and gas is traded 24 hours a day.
