ArchShowcase Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Siemens Headquarters in Munich, Germany by Henning Larsen ArchitectsSeptember 23rd, 2011 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Henning Larsen Architects Siemens’ new headquarters is an urban, recognisable composition of plazas, courtyards and alleys that will unfold a new, vibrant urban space in central Munich. Siemens and Munich are integrated into a harmonious whole by merging two archetypal entities – mass (Siemens) and void (Munich) – into a complementing formation. The city opens up the mass, which in response opens up to the city.
The new headquarters consists of six rectangular, rounded volumes attached to a central vertical structure that connects the entire building complex. This structure creates six varied courtyards engaging in close dialogue with the city – thus generating a new urban space to be explored.
The central “Interaction Zone” connects the various office spaces and represents the key concepts behind the organisation of the building – Communication, Interaction and Innovation. In addition, the office levels are connected by bridges, creating a continuous floor stretching through the entire building complex. The heart of the building, the atrium, is situated in the middle of the building and is accessible from all sides.
The top floor is well-suited for public events such as art exhibitions and allows the visitors to enjoy the skyline of the city while exploring the exhibitions. The public access to Siemens’ new headquarters creates a continuous flow of guests and passers-by and signals that corporate architecture of the 21st century should be open and inviting.
Sustainable by design Siemens’ new headquarters will stand out as a spearhead project in sustainable design in an urban context. The objective of the project is to exceed today’s standards for green building such as DGNB Gold and LEED Platinum. State-of-the-art technologies produced by Siemens are incorporated into the design to ensure an optimal lifelong performance.
The design is energy efficient in itself. The organisation of the office spaces, the slightly sloping facades providing the building with ample daylight and the selection of healthy, sustainable materials demonstrate that an open, healthy working environment is of high priority to Siemens.
Competition The jury comprised Siemens President and CEO Peter Löscher, Siemens Managing Board members Brigitte Ederer and Joe Kaeser, the Mayor of Munich Christian Ude, Head of the Department of Urban Planning in Munich Elisabeth Merk, representatives of the Munich City Council and the District Committee for central Munich as well as experts in architecture, urban planning and landscape conservation. Twelve architectural companies participated in the competition, including Baumschlager Eberle Lochau ZT GmbH, Auer + Weber + Assoziierte, Hopkins Architects, ingenhoven architects and schmidt hammer lassen architects.
Extract from the jury citation: “With its self-confident and sensitive approach, the winning design will succeed in enhancing the quality of the urban environment within the parameters of the existing city. The spacious opening into Oskar-von-Miller-Ring will create a new self-confident address for the Siemens headquarters. The leafy forecourt will suddenly acquire a new meaning at the transition from the old city to the museum quarter, thereby creating an opportunity for inner urban development.”
Siemens Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, operating in the industry, energy and healthcare sectors. For more than 160 years, Siemens has represented technological excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and international scope. The organisation is the world’s largest provider of environmental technologies. More than one third of its total revenue stems from green products and solutions. For further information, please visit www.siemens.com.
Henning Larsen Architects Henning Larsen Architects is the most international architecture company in Denmark. The company was founded by Henning Larsen in 1959 and today occupies approx. 165 employees. The company has offices in Iceland, Syria and Saudi Arabia and projects in more than 20 countries. In Germany, the company has designed Kunsthalle A. Würth in Schwäbisch Hall (2002), the Max Planck Institute in Rostock (2002), Rostock University Library (2004) and Spiegel Headquarters in Hamburg, which will be completed during 2011. Henning Larsen Architects is managed by CEO Mette Kynne Frandsen and Design Directors Louis Becker and Peer Teglgaard Jeppesen.
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