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Architects: kbnk ARCHITEKTEN
- Area: 1461 m²
- Year: 2022
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Photographs:Piet Niemann
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Lead Architects: Frank Birwe, Christian Schünemann
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Text description provided by the architects. Embedded in a dense mantle of trees and shrubs along the historic Schiffergraben, the new headquarter for the local real estate company HBI is situated right opposite Buxtehudes old town and a surrounding small-scale residential development area. The natural green outdoor defines the design of the office building. The building becomes a "house in the clearing", embedded in a natural forest area. The homogeneity of the distinctive solitaire is broken up by generous window areas with delicate window profiles, giving it lightness and translucency.
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As a basic volume similar to an angled Y, the building formulates a welcoming gesture on the entrance side, while aligning with the prominent view axis of the St. Petri Kirche. The HBI office is accessed via a bridge across the Schiffergraben. The forecourt is paved with old basalt stone and offers seating and bicycle parking. Following the topography of the site, the entrance level is designed as a split level with airy room heights in the foyer and meeting area. The use of few, high-quality materials such as natural oiled oak, polished green-grey Anröchter sandstone, in combination with muted white walls and a well thought-out lighting concept, grants the interior an inviting atmosphere. While the facade is given a glossy finish with glazed bricks, the interior is made exclusively of materials with matte surfaces.
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The dynamic interior spaces, which are already been shaped by the building structure, are complemented by light coves in the ceiling. Light-flooded rooms with a view into the lush green and the old town of Buxtehude ensure exceptional workplaces. Enabled by a flexible room zoning it’s possible to implement different layouts ranging from cellular offices to open-space offices. The 2nd floor houses a kitchen and lounge for the employees, as well as an almost 100 m2 large, sunny terrace.
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