Branch Office Schmitt + Sohn
The new branch of the internationally active family-run company Schmitt + Sohn Elevators in Unterschleißheim is located in an urban commercial area, the development of which is extremely heterogeneous: in addition to single and multi-storey buildings for a wide variety of uses, there are large warehouses and factory buildings. In this rather interchangeable environment, the new building constructed on a striking corner plot stands out as a striking, identity-creating building that responds to the heterogeneous context with an independent, self-confident attitude, reflects the company philosophy and expertise and acts as a built “business card”.
In order to emphasize the independence and special position of the new building, existing spatial edges were deliberately avoided. The positioning on the site has been chosen in such a way that a generous distance to the streets is created by wide green areas in front, which not only implement but also extend the requirements of the development plan. The resulting long-distance effect supports the desire to stage the brand image.
The pavilion-like, two-storey new building - a cube that seems to float on a recessed plinth - is characterized by reduction and precision. Its appearance is marked by openness and transparency. Reduced to the essentials, clear in form and function, it embodies the corporate philosophy of Schmitt + Sohn Elevators.
The spatial center of the building is the centrally located two-storey forum, which can be used for multiple purposes. It is the heart of the new company headquarters. Not only presentations and exhibitions take place here, but also internal company events. The forum thus becomes a meeting place that promotes communication and, not least, team spirit.
Two internal reinforced concrete cores form the infrastructural and structural basis. They are supplemented by reinforced concrete slabs at façade level and slender, free-standing steel columns. This design principle enables a high degree of flexibility and transparency. A wide variety of office concepts can be easily implemented according to the needs of the users. All workstations and meeting rooms are located on the façade and are very attractive thanks to direct daylight and a variety of views. Manually operated opening sashes, which are designed as insulated room-high aluminum panels, provide natural ventilation. Skylights on the long sides of the reinforced concrete cores provide high-quality daylight in the centrally located forum. The grazing light this creates effectively sets the scene for the two cores.
The building's striking appearance results not only from its spatial concept, but also from the reduction of materials. The external appearance is determined by the opaque wall surfaces clad in matt white glass mosaics and the storey-high window elements, whose slightly protruding and recessed arrangement lends the building a plasticity. The interior is dominated by the material colors of concrete and wood.
