Gehring Group, headquartered in Oberhausen, originally operated across three separate facilities in the Kaisergarten industrial estate. To consolidate its roughly 50 employees under one roof, this file storage, scanning services, and archival software specialist built a new corporate headquarters on its own 1,800 m² property at Max-Planck-Ring.

The building's clean-lined design spans four floors plus a stepped-roof penthouse with wood-grain Trespa cladding and a generous roof terrace, providing ample space for staff and the newly built in-house daycare "Giraffenland"—which features something special: a rooftop play area. After two and a half years of planning and construction, owner Nils Gehring is satisfied with the outcome. He's created a workplace that reflects his priorities: a positive company culture and genuine employee well-being. The 1,245 m² workspace showcases contemporary design with accessibility at its core: open floor plans, abundant natural light, and abundant greenery throughout. The façade's black exposed concrete creates a striking contrast to the entrance, where two oversized wooden giraffes—a mother and calf—serve as a welcoming visual anchor. A verdant wall at reception flows seamlessly into the director's office, where light oak tones on flooring, height-adjustable oak desks, and thoughtful details like the gallery corridor's handrails reinforce the warm wood aesthetic. Corten steel planters housing four-to-five-meter palms are both a nod to the Ruhr region's industrial heritage and practical room dividers that foster a welcoming atmosphere in the open office. This layout encourages peer communication while simplifying team assembly for varied projects. Certain offices feature hermetically sealed spaces to meet data security, confidentiality, and fire safety requirements. Integrating the daycare with rooftop play area posed perhaps the greatest design challenge. The solution: seven bright group rooms across the ground and first floors, complemented by STEM, construction, sensory, and multipurpose spaces, plus a studio and lush outdoor play zone for the youngest residents. "Only children capable of climbing stairs can access the rooftop playground," explains Gehring, whose volunteer fire service background informs his rigorous approach to safety protocols and escape routes. Two stairwells complement an elevator, reaching a height of 18 meters. The rooftop splits into two zones: one designated for relaxation and staff use, the other—encompassing around 700 m²—reserved for children, bordered by two-meter safety glass and appointed with sun sails and play equipment. The building meets KfW 55 energy standards and runs on a heat pump system, with a natural gas boiler for peak demand backup. Heat-recovery ventilation rounds out the efficient mechanical systems.

www.gehring.group

Photography Credits:

Christian Deutscher
www.deutscher-fotografie.de

(Featured in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 03|23)