In spring 2022, Hamburg-based architecture firm BAID unveiled the new Aldi Nord Campus in Essen-Kray, a bold architectural statement of the company's evolving philosophy. Under the creative direction of Jessica Borchardt, the design embodies openness, transparency, and collaborative spirit through a contemporary architectural language. The approximately 10,000 m² complex accommodates around 2,000 employees across open-plan offices, co-working spaces, and communication hubs—each thoughtfully tailored to diverse working needs. A separate building on the adjoining site houses a daycare centre, making family-friendly work arrangements a practical reality.

Aldi Nord has called Essen-Kray's industrial district home since the 1970s. The new campus's refined and elegant architecture signals transformation—unmistakably visible from the A40 motorway. BAID's design responds intelligently to the site's original topography, using excavated material to shape the 10-metre elevation change. The striking eight-storey head building anchors the campus as its defining feature. Individual structures fan out triangularly around the central plaza—the true heart of the complex. A column-free void soaring eight storeys above is flooded with light through an intricately detailed glass canopy, amplifying the sense of openness and brightness. Every circulation path, every office entrance, every conference connection flows through this plaza. Directly integrated are the campus's key gathering spaces: an auditorium, staff restaurant, and café. Both dining venues open directly onto a sprawling park landscape—designed by WES landscape architects—complete with water features, herb gardens, jogging paths, and 450 newly planted trees.

Curved forms clad in a refined ribbon façade of white aluminium elements define the campus's classic-modern aesthetic. The plaza unfolds on all sides through expansive glazing, dissolving the boundary between interior and park. Two striking vertical green walls draw the eye while naturally regulating microclimate and acoustics across the expansive void. Combined with thoughtful acoustic treatments throughout, they create an unexpectedly serene atmosphere. The interior philosophy follows a disciplined "simple and clear" approach, anchored by a restrained palette of durable materials: glass, light walls and ceilings, grey-toned carpeting, and pale terrazzo flooring. Strategic accents of Aldi Nord's signature blue furniture and triangular lighting prevent the minimalism from feeling sterile.

BAID's sustainable design approach earned DGNB Gold certification. The strategy combines large-scale rooftop photovoltaics on the car park, comprehensive intensive green roofs, geothermal heat pumps, sophisticated heat recovery ventilation, and a combined heat and power plant for efficient campus-wide energy management. Three water basins throughout the campus serve as both visual and functional anchors—capturing rainwater from buildings and grounds while dramatically enhancing microclimate conditions and the overall quality of the outdoor environment.

The modern, agile workplace culture—defined by collaboration and communication—is captured in a recreated office honoring company founder Theo Albrecht. Once private and exclusive, the space is now transparently displayed behind glass, inviting all employees to glimpse the working world of its visionary founder.

www.baid.de

Photography Credits:

Marcus Bredt
www.marcusbredt.de
Martin Haag

(Published in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 04|22)