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Architects: J. Mayer H. Architects
- Area: 8000 m²
- Year: 2020
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Photographs:David Franck
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Interior Design Partner: Raumhaus Berlin, Steelcase, Kvadrat, Brunner
Text description provided by the architects. The completion of IGZ’s new main building on its extended campus is a significant step for the software company’s own economic positioning, as well as part of larger regional efforts to increase employment opportunities in rural areas. IGZ is a fast-growing company in IT logistics and Industry 4.0: part of the digital boom we have experienced since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and the growing possibilities for innovative developments, fostered by European financial and economic support. What is more, the infrastructural measures put forward by individual municipalities to maintain and create jobs have an impact on the entire Upper Palatinate region. For these reasons, sustainable and innovative planning and construction were the centerpieces of the new IGZ Campus module in Falkenberg.
Design. J. MAYER H. won the design for the main building of the IGZ campus at an invited competition. The building is the first new construction of the site’s extended masterplan. Reaching over 120m in length and sitting at the highest point of the site, the new construction complements existing company-owned buildings, creating a harmonious ensemble. Further structures are planned for the company restaurant, an innovation center, and other office buildings, which, like the main building, focus clearly and precisely on the site’s surroundings. The construction was built using local materials like granite and wood, typical of the Upper Palatinate region.
Innovative construction engineering techniques ensure a holistic approach to the building concept. Priority was given to providing a regenerative energy supply using geothermal energy and photovoltaic systems. The new IGZ building makes clear that construction work in rural areas is not only reserved for agriculture, tourism, or local recreation. Instead, in this age of "New Work" (Work 4.0), the new headquarters of “IGZ-The SAP Engineers”, allows them to strengthen their local ties and reaffirm their presence as an innovative and responsible employer in the region.
Construction. The building was planned as a skeleton structure of reinforced concrete. All load-bearing and bracing components are made of wood and exposed concrete, creating a visual blueprint of IGZ’s company headquarters. The partition walls and built-in furniture are non-load-bearing and made entirely of wood and glass. Composed of various elements, the construction creates a light and warm atmosphere while remaining highly flexible to future alterations. The grey glazed wood façade further develops and reinterprets the materiality of the company’s existing buildings.
The building relies on a passive temperature control method that is integrated into the reinforced concrete ceilings. Heating and cooling are thus regulated by the building’s concrete core temperature control system. The energy required for this is sustainably generated through a total of 60 geothermal piles, each 100m deep.
The interior. J. MAYER H. developed the building’s interior design concept in close collaboration with the client. Steelcase was the main partner for the design of workstation furnishings. The loft-like work landscape, composed of exposed concrete and wood was furnished with Steelcase’s Flex Collection, designed to allow teams to make their space more flexible.
The furniture is equipped with wheels, making it adaptable to various, changing forms of individual and group work. Flex complements the overall geometry of the building’s structure with its diagonal elements and clear- cut design. The design’s language is communicated through large-scale wooden fixtures in the foyer and other areas and reflected further in the rounded shapes of the movable desk-walls and mobile whiteboards. The choice of haptic, matte black surfaces, furthermore matches the wood and concrete elements present throughout the building.
Steelcase collaborated with Kvadrat, using their high-quality fabrics to produce a new range of seating areas and desk chairs (Please). Viccarbe's soft seat products were used for communal areas. Completion. The project was finalized in autumn 2020. Thanks to the flexibility of the interior furnishings and the building’s geometry, the inner layout can easily be adapted for Covid-19 related workplace changes and requirements, such as accommodating for Hygiene regulations and ensuring the safe distancing of employees.
