J. MAYER H. wraps a loft-like workspace in wood and concrete in rural Germany

Berlin-based firm J. MAYER H. has revealed photographs of their recently completed project from the rural setting of Falkenberg in Germany – software and engineering company IGZ’s main building designed as a brutalist skeleton of reinforced concrete. The 8000sqm structure marks the first construction within the site’s extended masterplan and is designed to accommodate over 500 employees of the company.

J.MAYER H. had earlier won the project in an invited competition that was hosted in 2018. Other structures planned as part of the masterplan include a restaurant, an innovation centre and various office buildings.

The concrete and timber structure measuring 120m in length is positioned at the highest point of the site. The façade features a striking diagonal grid in grey glazed wood that wraps the glass enclosure.

Inside, a loft-like workspace features flexible spaces that easily adjust to facilitating safe distancing between employees. It presents a mix of soft curves and crisp, angular forms that create a distinct visual identity of every space within the building.

The materiality of the interiors draws itself from the architecture of the Upper Palatinate region in which granite and wood are heavily used in building construction. Workstations, built-in furniture, staircase, and partition walls are erected in wood and glass whereas granite is used for flooring. “Composed of various elements, the construction creates a light and warm atmosphere, while remaining highly flexible to future alterations,” says the firm.

As per J. MAYER H., Steelcase has been the main partner for the design of workstation furnishings. The workspace features furniture from the brand’s Flex Collection, designed to allow teams to make their space more flexible while complementing the overall geometry of the building.

“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 matches the wood and concrete elements present throughout the building,” adds the firm.

The linearity of the space and its geometricity is further accentuated by long strips of lighting that runs along the length of the ceiling.

A regenerative energy supply using geothermal energy and photovoltaic systems ensure a holistic, green design. The building relies on a passive temperature control method that is integrated into the reinforced concrete ceilings while heating and cooling is regulated by the structure’s concrete core temperature control system. The energy required for the systems is sustainably generated through a total of 60 geothermal piles, each 100m deep.

Completed in October 2020, the project is designed in collaboration between J. MAYER H., led by German architect and artist Jürgen Hermann Mayer, and Swiss firm Architekten mbB.