Transparency as Design Principle
Stadtwerke Neuss expands its central campus with a new administrative building.
Stadtwerke Neuss operates across a diverse portfolio—from drinking water and electricity to district heating, local transit, municipal pools, and an ice arena. To consolidate infrastructure, civil engineering, and administration under one roof, the company needed a new office building near headquarters that could accommodate 140 employees. The architectural response had to embody the organization's core value: transparent communication between departments should be visible in the building itself.
The architectural team Heinle Wischer und Partner from Cologne won the competitive bid and created a building that engages thoughtfully with its urban setting. At the prominent corner where Moselstraße meets the site and branches into two directions, the structure unfolds as a split form—a two-part volume articulated by a recessed glazed passageway that flows like a river bend. This transparent spine defines the building's public realm: ground-floor foyer, separate staircases for staff and visitors, and top-floor conference facilities. The glass spine employs a post-and-beam vocabulary, while the adjoining office volumes feature element façades of sheet metal, combining fixed glazing with operable panels. Inside, the public zones celebrate natural materials—wood and concrete—establishing a warm, refined modern character. Colorful furnishings punctuate these spaces. The office areas, by contrast, embrace restrained materiality to provide a neutral backdrop for each employee's personal workspace. Every level contains single and double offices with glass partitions and ample daylight, fostering a bright, open working atmosphere. These offices radiate from a central hub—a social nexus of meeting rooms, printer stations, and kitchenettes. The fourth floor amplifies spatial flexibility further: transparent office cells exist alongside open-plan team zones with oversized whiteboards, flexible desk arrangements, a think tank, and a sound-insulated phone booth. The conference room accommodates up to 100 people and can be divided by a movable wall. A generous terrace offers commanding city views.
Photography Credits:
Brigida González
www.brigidagonzalez.de
(Published in CUBE Düsseldorf 04|20)
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