Towering chimneys and sprawling storage tanks define the industrial landscape along the Rhine in Chempark Dormagen. Highly visible yet tightly sealed off from the outside world, roughly 60 chemical companies operate behind high fences within the complex. Now, chemical giant Ineos is breaking that pattern with its new headquarters—stepping beyond the closed factory perimeter for the first time. Designed by Düsseldorf-based Structurelab Architekten, this building opens a new chapter: accessible and welcoming to the surrounding community, while fostering open communication within the company itself.

The design embodies core corporate values: responsibility, openness, and transparency. With just three stories, the building purposefully avoids an imposing vertical symbol of corporate might. Instead, it creates a human-scaled landmark that sits comfortably within the low-rise surroundings, respecting the local urban fabric. Inside, the same philosophy takes hold. The largely open ground floor houses both a fitness center and generous dining facilities—available not only to staff, but to all employees across the entire facility. Upstairs, flat hierarchies and flexible office layouts dissolve the traditional barriers between management and staff, creating a genuinely democratic workspace. The building's circular form pays homage to the neighboring oil tanks while deliberately evoking parliamentary chambers—spaces where no one holds privilege. This ring geometry does more than make a visual statement; it actively encourages connection and movement. Employees navigate naturally shorter paths through the rotunda, fostering spontaneous encounters and conversations. Soaring central staircases amplify this sense of openness and transparency, yet maintain focused, distraction-free work areas.

www.structurelab.com

Photography Credits:

Holger Knauf
www.holgerknauf.de

(Featured in CUBE Cologne Bonn 04|22)