Herne's Employment Agency occupies a 1950s-era building. This five-storey brick structure, though showing signs of age, required a comprehensive transformation to meet the demands of modern work environments. Lindner Lohse Architekten BDA orchestrated an extensive renovation, complete structural reorganization, and thoughtful extension that brought the facility into the 21st century.

The Dortmund architecture team masterfully preserved the building's distinctive character while creating a contemporary workplace across approximately 4,100 m². The most visible transformation is the relocated main entrance—now positioned within the protruding sandstone facade along the park-facing wall, rather than on the side. A new staircase and accessible ramp lead into a glass-framed entrance hall. Within the courtyard stands a modest single-story addition featuring insulated, ventilated cladding that houses the youth employment agency reception. The ground floor retains the steel columns with their striking ceramic sheathes. Following the updated fire safety code, corridors and stairwells are now equipped with fire-rated doors. The curved staircase's steel railings and concrete treads have been refinished, with handrails featuring renewed plastic coverings. The roof structure supports on the fourth floor—previously embedded within corridor walls—are now proudly exposed in offices and sanitary areas, adding visual interest. The oak parquet from the former conference room, discovered beneath existing flooring, has been restored and resurfaced, beautifully reappearing in reimagined corridors and office spaces. To meet current workplace standards, the fourth floor underwent significant upgrades: the roof now includes dormer windows, enhanced insulation, new tile covering, and integrated photovoltaic panels. All windows were replaced with motorized external shading systems. Connected to district heating, the building received upgraded heating controls and new heat distribution infrastructure. Original radiators and all electrical systems were replaced; modern ceiling heating panels and EV charging stations were added. The building's vintage hydraulic elevator has been replaced with a new cable-driven system within the existing shaft.

www.lindner-lohse-architekten.de

Photography Credits:

Detlef Podehl
www.podehl.com

(Published in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 01|24)