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Architects: Studio Alexander Fehre
- Area: 400 m²
- Year: 2014
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Photographs:Zooey Braun
Text description provided by the architects. Movet is a company that literally originated in a garage. Today, the Movet brand is eponymous with outstanding competence in the field of conveyor belt technology. Because the capacity of the company’s rather makeshift headquarters had finally been reached, Studio Alexander Fehre was commissioned to design a new and more representative office space with an adjoining warehouse. The solution is a clever combination of different areas, so as to accommodate the diverse range of requirements in a limited space while retaining a spacious feel.
The result is the ‘Movet Workshop’, which forms the epicentre of the space and functions as conference room, office kitchen and showroom in one. Contained behind an airy metal mesh façade, customers and visitors are welcomed here in the very heart of the office and thus immediately integrated into daily business. The new open-plan office structure communicates engagement, transparency and a marked team spirit – especially to the people working there.
The open-plan character begins in the entrance area. Only a translucent glass, free-standing divider separates the entrance from the remaining space, thus functioning as an open floodgate and vestibule. Immediately behind it is an inviting lounge area with two large armchairs, from which the clearly structured, open-plan space can be perceived as a whole. Two rows of workstations are positioned at right angles to the window façade. Located at the very rear is the executive office behind a glass dividing wall. A total of eight people can work at two linoleum-covered group tables. The two tables are circumscribed by means of specially designed cabinets, which provide storage space for each employee. A small rim running along the top of the units gives each employee a dedicated filing tray for jobs in progress. This integrated feature comes in response to a special request on the part of the client. Both the tables themselves and the storage cabinets are made from laminated multiplex boards with an oak veneer.
At first glance, the furniture design is innovative yet clear. The units are positioned on the carpet surface below like individual components and their unusual triangular shape implies inherent movement. The function behind the design becomes apparent at second glance. The storage cabinets are manufactured from a single element, which is rotated in different ways to form a complete cabinet. The rear wall of each unit is also its foot and the side rim for the storage trays. This repetition, paired with an easy to handle surface material, makes the units cost-efficient, while resonating with the theme of industrial production. The desks continue this design with triangular sides. Their hard-wearing yet pleasant linoleum surface has inherent anti-static properties, which prevent a build-up of dust. All wooden surfaces are treated with two-component oil, and will gain in character over the years thanks to the composition of materials and the deliberate lack of additional visible edges. Only water-based paint was used in addition to the oiled wood and linoleum surfaces in order to ensure a healthy work environment. The carpeting is made from carpet tiles, which can be returned to the manufacturer to be completely recycled after use.
