Associations of Paradise: Travel Agency by Henning Larsen Architects

What do clients want when they enter the premises of Designreisen in Munich? Almost certainly, they want the same as anyone else who plans a trip: clear organization, understanding for their wants and needs, to be put into the mood for their destination in order to heighten their anticipation… and perhaps a glass of sparkling wine to top things off. The architecture of this office reflects these desires and can even satisfy them to some extent.

At the travel agency on Theresienstrasse, the space actually takes on part of the work. Cast coatings along with thick, burnished concrete columns and a deep-blue ceiling define the clear frame of the space. Communication islands are distributed over 310 m². These areas are formed by means of gossamer curtains. The rounded curtain tracks have themselves been covered in several layers of light fabric. Combined with a large carpet as flooring for each island, the impression arises that even in their consultations, visitors are setting off on an adventure in a tent. However, each modern consultation area features leather easy chairs and a flat screen. Panorama projections, sound effects and smells evoke various moods meant to create a connection to the destination.

The garden room, a place for larger groups, faces the inner courtyard. Light, largely unimpeded by wall elements of wooden lamellae, enters the room through a glazed surface. These slats create the necessary delimitation from the main space. The open kitchen, accommodated at the rear of the office, enables the travel agents to act as hosts for receptions and cooking events. The wiring is concealed inside copper pipes on the ceiling; these show the way directly to the kitchen. For events, the curtains of all the consultation islands can be opened, transforming the meeting areas into quiet seating niches.