Dorner Office Building
17 september 2019
Project: Dorner Office Building, Müllheim, Germany
Architect: Wurm + Wurm Architekten, Bühl/Baden, Germany
Fabricator/Installer: HEWE Fensterbau GmbH, Lahr, Germany
Construction: Tray-panels special construction
Year of Construction: 2013
Product: ALUCOBOND® naturAL Reflect
Photos: Wurm + Wurm
EXCLUSIVE LOOK WITH A TIGHT BUDGET
The revitalization of a disused 1980s pre-fabricated concrete office block, now an office building for the company DORNER, was carried out by architects Wurm + Wurm. The ground floor serves as the firm’s headquarters, and the first floor contains rentable office space. Although the budget was tight, the client’s commission has resulted in attractive and distinctive architecture. After having played with several variations and solutions, the architects settled for a dark paint finish and reflective ALUCOBOND® panels, giving the building an exclusive look. In the interior, partition walls and the suspended ceilings were removed to create an open loft-style working space. The building was opened out on to the courtyard and garden by replacing the outer concrete wall elements with glazed sliding doors. In the open-plan room, two volumes face each other: on one side there is a kitchen, and on the other, managerial office accommodation, archives and boiler room. The internal partitions, made of the same wood as the custom-made furniture, ensure the design throughout the office remains consistent despite numerous coloured accents. Large windows are set in these partitions, opening them up, allowing visual contact between the rooms and retaining the open-plan appearance. As counterpart to the wooden interior, a pure white mountain is situated in the middle of the L-shaped room, which serves as retreat and informal meeting room. Located in the rear part of the office, there is also a freestanding cube containing a second, more private, meeting room.