The new building of the CEDAR Campus is divided into 3 building sections, each with 3 floors above ground, which are coordinated with today's demands of the modern office world. Flexible basic office structures in two office blocks in order to be able to implement changes, adaptations and wishes of the users as far as possible and a middle of the building as an atrium room over 4 floors, which is dedicated to exchange between all users of the building as a communication area. A generous staircase connects the floors across all levels in the atrium. Adjacent open kitchenette counters as break areas and meeting rooms behind glass allow the user to experience the world of work. On the ground floor there is space for a large lounge area, which can also be used for larger events. The atrium is also connected to the basement. The underground car park can accommodate almost 90 vehicles. The basic shape and orientation of the building was formulated on the basis of the layout of the site and the relationship of the new building to the existing houses. Since the new building is a continuation of the existing building in terms of construction and content, references between old and new have been created to a large extent through the open space, intermediate space and building axes. The southern façade of the existing building suggests a gesture of welcome, to which the new building is responded to with a courtyard formation and a view of the atrium façade. The atrium as the focal point is flanked by two office blocks, which allow views of the two inner courtyards with their bends. The east-west orientation of the office building blocks with depths of approx. 11.50 m to 14.50 m, which is optimal for office use, offers the workplaces light-flooded usage areas. With their directional bends, they additionally widen the green spaces to the north and south in order to fit naturally into the surroundings in terms of urban planning and to create more space for the respective end buildings. As if by itself, the slight funnel shape results in an entrance situation to the east to the street and more private courtyard situations in the direction of the existing building in the north and the warehouse in the south. Both buildings are intended for shared use and are incorporated into the campus structure through their urban form. The façade structure has been strongly adapted to the use of the interior. The clear grid reflects the flexible usability of the interior to the outside and fulfils the client's desire for an impression of classicist architecture through materiality, structure, typography and shadow play. The choice of construction of the façade made of load-bearing architectural concrete sandwich elements is due to the high quality of the surface material, the good elementability and thus economic feasibility. An entire floor of an office block was created within 3 days from 32 individual sandwich elements on the construction site, in order to then connect the next floor ceiling with the sandwich elements. Just as a sandstone façade can be refurbished after decades, the exposed concrete façade used here can appear as new again through processes such as sandblasting and thus counteract the waste of resources in the construction industry. In the interior design, muted colours, high-quality materials and clear shapes were used in the public areas to create a suitable overall ensemble with the exterior design. The office units were left to the tenant for expansion in the condition of the finished shell, so that each company can be set up and structured in a specific location. Only the heating, cooling and ventilation technology is housed in ceiling sails adapted to the office grid, which also have a positive influence on the acoustics of the offices. A cavity floor complements the flexibility of the electrical distribution in each office unit.
Source: Neff Kuhn Architekten
Photos: Neff Kuhn Architekten
