TÜV Nord Group, headquartered in Essen-Frillendorf's technology park, has completed a significant expansion with a 14,600 m² office complex. In October 2021, the five-storey central building—designed to accommodate around 600 employees—opened on schedule. Dälken Architektur + Generalplanung, a family-owned firm, led the planning of this energy-efficient, sustainably designed structure. With its refined architectural language defined by extensive metal and glass façades, the building serves as a striking focal point on the TÜV Nord campus.

Concurrent with the completion of the new highway connection and central parking facilities for employees and visitors, existing structures on the north-western campus were carefully dismantled. The five-storey addition takes the form of an elongated L-shaped structure of reinforced concrete and sand-lime brick. The sloping terrain—with elevation changes of three to five metres—creates an optical effect where the building appears as either a three- or four-storey structure depending on perspective. The ventilated metal curtain wall features large-format composite panels of aluminium, establishing a clear horizontal rhythm across the building's levels. Generous window bands on each floor, articulated by anthracite aluminium mullions, further animate the façade. Internal solar shading controls glare and heat gain as needed. Above the recessed, glazed main entry, a three-storey glass wall with a post-and-beam structure commands attention. Ground-level and meeting room glazing extends floor-to-ceiling, fostering visual connection with the verdant inner courtyard and newly landscaped outdoor spaces—complete with planted areas, gathering points, and seating. The conference floor occupies the level above ground, accessed through a generous main entrance with vestibule and foyer (interiors by Ewertowski). Five stairwells and elevators serve the seminar and meeting rooms, as well as the flexibly arranged single, double, and open-plan office spaces on the upper floors. TÜViT's high-security IT hardware laboratory is also housed here. The adjacent southern office buildings connect directly to the new structure via a suspended bridge connector.

The building embodies cradle-to-cradle design principles. Wherever feasible, steel, wood, and aluminium materials from the previous building were recovered and reintegrated. Four-fifths of the concrete and masonry from demolition found new use. For climate control, component activation technology adapts heating and cooling to weather conditions. District heating delivers carbon-neutral energy throughout.

www.daelken.de

Photography Credits:

Andreas Secci
www.andreas-secci.de

(Published in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 01|22)