Factory Hall in Landsberg am Lech
Following the opening of Factory 3 in 2008, catering equipment manufacturer Rational extended its site on the Frauenwald industrial estate first by adding a training center (2012). The subsequently completed Service Parts Center consists of three building parts, each with a different concept and design: a delivery hall, a reinforced concrete building for a workshop, offices, social areas, and a northlight hall with a pallet warehouse. Although the buildings in the various sections, which were all the result of close cooperation between the structural engineer, architect and client, are architecturally independent, they share certain features: they are characterised by a considerably reduced architectural language, appear to have predominantly white or metal surfaces, have interiors flooded with natural light and a clearly legible loadbearing structure. The Service Parts Center – with the exception of the concrete part of the building required for fire safety reasons – is a steel structure made from standard rolled sections. These were carefully and diligently designed in detail to produce a simply articulated and yet very elegant loadbearing structure that was quick and economically effective to build: the practical design and realisation of the building carcass was completed in only nine months thanks to the use of prefabricated components. This industrial building with its gleaming aluminium façade is also notable for the high quality of its architecture and working environment. For example, the continuous band of windows extending down to the floor offers views into the surrounding natural landscape, while the small internal courtyard illuminates working rooms and provides a peaceful place for informal meetings and short breaks from work.
