Company Headquarters with Curved Atrium in Switzerland

With its new company headquarters, Blumer Lehmann has created a modern timber structure that showcases the potential of the material in terms of construction and design. The building itself was designed by K&L Architekten from St. Gallen. It comprises 180 office workstations, an event room and a cafeteria. Computer-based planning methods, digital manufacturing and traditional wood working techniques were employed in its construction. This is particularly evident in the five-storey atrium, which was also designed by the ICD.

The five-storey atrium connects the individual floors. © ICD University of Stuttgart

This vertical access zone also serves as a communication space. Its sculptural spatial structure comprises a curved spiral staircase made up of intersecting curved cross-laminated timber elements. A key feature of the design are generous air spaces resulting from the complex geometry. The convex, curved wooden segments form a series of curved ridges. These are impressively accentuated by the daylight falling from above, creating a striking visual effect.

Alcoves and balconies serve as meeting places. © ICD University of Stuttgart

The geometry of the staircase creates alcoves and balconies that can be used for meetings. The open spatial structure, with its horizontal and vertical lines of sight, also encourages interaction within the building. The wooden elements used for this purpose also have a load-bearing function; their characteristic curvature contributes to their rigidity. This enables wall construction with a thickness of only 13 cm, which nevertheless supports the weight of the staircase, the adjacent floor slabs, and the roof structure above.