In collaboration with the Fraunhofer institute, LAVA designed a new type of inspiring work environment for this four storey structure housing laboratory and administrative offices.
Situated across two adjacent plots within the master plan for a new industrial park, the aim was to create its own context. The heavy polymer lab and the car park were positioned in a sunken area with the excavation material used to create an undulated landscape around the site.
The building was organised as a large rectangular structure forming an inner courtyard. The entrance was articulated by an auditorium and some offices protruded into the atrium space to create a more diversified appearance. Public functions were positioned diagonally within the atrium. A flexible office module allowed for various combinations of spaces.
The building’s facade was designed as a showcase for the company's technology and created a highly efficient insulation specifically designed to work with the local climate. It was composed of a 1m deep layer of CNC-milled polystyrene with a plaster coating, articulated by a non-repetitive pattern of window openings. At the position of the windows, its depth was increased to keep the direct sunlight away, whilst the window sills were angled to reflect daylight into the building.
