Concept: Office Buildings

Office buildings as a typology cover a broad spectrum and accommodate many different workplace models, ranging from cellular offices to non-territorial open-plan concepts with desk-sharing. Since constraints relating to working conditions change more rapidly than the actual buildings, flexibility is called for in the architecture. The present issue of DETAIL shows the enormous gamut of modern office design: from a suite inserted in a converted warehouse in Tilburg and a company headquarters in Tyrol to a heterogeneous investment complex in Paris.

The Process section contains a detailed presentation of the Erste Campus in Vienna. Here, Henke Schreieck, the architects, have created an impressive ensemble with distinct urban qualities for a staff of nearly 5,000. Despite the large areas of glazing, the inner facade layer, consisting of wooden elements, conveys a sense of warmth, while the wall coating in the atrium lends this space an individual, haptic note. Last, but not least, the entrance hall and extensive external areas are open to the public and play an active role in the life of the city.