The new headquarters was designed to centralize all operations in one location. This was the vision of a company specializing in the sales and rental of forklifts, telescopic handlers, aerial work platforms, and containers. Today, around 90 employees work here across sales, training, maintenance, and repair. During this consolidation, the architects examined existing structures and workflows to identify optimization opportunities, then applied these insights to the building design. The goal was clear: create a facility that enables seamless workflow and an inviting environment for all users, while embodying ecological responsibility through a durable, low-maintenance façade.

Rundzwei Architects designed two interconnected building volumes: a ten-meter-high factory hall and a three-storey administration building. Together, they form a rectilinear block, with the second floor of the administration building cantilevered outward. A sculptural canopy of orthogonally fastened wooden slats wraps both elements, unifying them as a single architectural gesture. The wood is charred using yakisugi, the traditional Japanese carbonization technique – a method that reduces moisture absorption and provides natural protection against mold, weathering, rot, and water damage. Light larch wood on the main building's façade provides visual contrast, sheltered from the elements by the canopy's overhang. Cantilevered and column-supported beams of glued laminated timber create the hall's structural framework. The hall façade is similarly timber-clad. Above the atrium, a cast-in-place concrete slab features an oval opening framing an elegant steel spiral staircase. This sculptural element connects all three office levels and offers direct sight lines into offices, training spaces, and shared amenities including the staff café. Expansive glazing floods the administration building with natural light, while warm wooden acoustic ceilings combine to foster an open, collaborative workplace atmosphere.

www.rundzwei.de

Photography:
Gui Rebelo / Estúdio Elefante

(Featured in CUBE Stuttgart 01|25)