For over seven decades, Clage – a family-owned, medium-sized industrial enterprise – has anchored its operations in Lüneburg. The company's approximately 300 employees drive innovation across the development, design, production, and distribution of electronic instantaneous water heaters. The Gerdes family has cultivated a two-decade partnership with architect Mark Braunholz of Braunholz Architekten, as well as with interior design firm Formwaende and its principal, Florian Kienast. In 2007, a groundbreaking new structure replaced the original facilities, uniting production and administration within a single architecturally sophisticated envelope. Over the subsequent years, this strategic property development has evolved into a cohesive campus environment.

Completed in 2021, the new building's architecture embodies Clage's brand through bold, open design. A cantilevered cube appears to float above the surrounding landscape of gravel. Within its luminous white facade sits a staggered glass volume, oriented toward the street and offering dynamic visual connections in multiple directions. Slender, freestanding wall planes create an elegant frame around the glazed core. Throughout the interior, warm materials establish an inviting atmosphere that encourages lingering and connection. Across 2,500 m² of usable floor area, the building delivers contemporary administrative spaces – from individual offices to open-plan layouts – alongside purpose-built training facilities, numerous collaborative zones, informal gathering spaces, and a welcoming reception gallery showcasing the full Clage product ecosystem. The expansive, hands-on exhibition demonstrates all hot water applications in live operation, allowing visitors to fully grasp the potential of energy-efficient instantaneous heater technology. The ground-floor bistro anchors both levels as the social heart of the building, while a seasonally-activated outdoor terrace with full kitchen service extends the experience into warmer months.

Transparency, spatial generosity, and functional efficiency proved as essential as sound economics. The building integrates cutting-edge media systems and acoustical design to create optimal working conditions throughout. Advanced HVAC systems and a KNX automation platform govern all building operations, accessible and adjustable anytime—whether through the network or via mobile devices. From the outset, communication drove the vision. The result speaks for itself.

www.braunholz-architekten.de
www.formwaende.de
www.clage.de

Photography Credits:

Paul Gerdes
www.paulgerdes.de

(Featured in CUBE Hamburg 01|22)