As an extension to a chemical plant, a new representative building consisting of 3,500 m2 divided into laboratories, offices, reception areas and a company restaurant had to be designed. The site is located on a featureless industrial estate in Geesthacht, a suburb of Hamburg.
The answer to the question for this task consists of two design principles. The first design task is to achieve an urban reorganisation together with the other buildings. The second design task is to represent the company. Our proposal is to design a volume that opens onto the street and whose ‘internal’ façade thus created is executed in a material recognisable in the chemical industry, namely glass [reglit]. The façade thus becomes a ‘billboard’ with the name of the company filtering through the glass.
Spaces are created between the buildings, which will be filled in as gardens. The potential extension of the new building is integrated into our design by positioning the vertical access in such a way that the extension can connect to it. After completing the extension, the entrance will be located at the planned courtyard.


Design: 2002
Size: 2500 m2
Address: Hamburg
Client: Hansechemie
Project team: Jo Janssen, Prof. Ir Wim van den Bergh, Simon Zumstein, Jeroen van Haaren