Masterwork

Tadao Ando, the "master of minimalism," has designed a striking new corporate headquarters

The construction company Weisenburger recognizes concrete as its signature material. It was a natural choice, then, to partner with Japanese architect Tadao Ando—renowned as the "wizard of concrete"—to design the new corporate headquarters. From the outset, both client and architect shared a vision: to create an aesthetically refined building that meets the highest technical standards, operates with maximum energy efficiency, and provides employees with exceptional working conditions. The result is a staggered composition featuring a seven-story cantilevered head section and a four-story side wing, both rendered in exposed concrete. Slender columns and pillars, combined with extensive glazing, create an impression of weightlessness and clarity. Characteristic of Ando's work, the concrete surfaces are meticulously finished—so precisely cut that they appear almost ethereal, with a velvety luminescence. This effect is particularly striking in the interior, where load-bearing walls and columns remain unclad, their raw beauty fully revealed. The front elevation is articulated by columns framing a loggia-like foyer, while the north facade curves inward in a graceful, concave sweep. A cantilevered concrete staircase rises through the soaring foyer like a sculptural element. The concrete lattice structure on the second floor is equally commanding—both a spatial defining feature and a critical structural element supporting the five additional stories above. From a gallery on the top floor, visitors access the crowning feature: a verdant roof terrace offering expansive views. The broad open staircase in the interior courtyard creates an equally inviting outdoor gathering space. Throughout the floors, flowing open work areas alternate with private offices, collaboration zones, and quiet retreats. Glass partitions and half-height dividers articulate the different zones, while tall green acoustic screens enclose the retreat areas. Fifteen meeting rooms are distributed across the levels. This linear, functional aesthetic extends into the sanitary facilities, where the Tece pre-wall system enables secure, custom installation of toilets, washbasins, and fixtures using dry-construction methods.

The headquarters draws its thermal energy from heat pumps operating under an intelligent predictive control system. Both the third basement level floor slabs and the first basement level ceiling function as thermal storage buffers. Two independent parallel systems—concrete core activation and floor duct convectors—work autonomously to deliver heating and cooling throughout the spaces. This approach eliminates approximately 30 tonnes of CO₂ annually.

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www.tadao-ando.com