Office building, Paderborn

Architect: Árpád Ferdinánd
Text: Árpád Ferdinánd
Photos: Dirk Heine, Jürgen Wegener

Paderborn is the oldest town in East Westphalia (Germany), it was already an important transport hub in the 8th century. Architect Árpád Ferdinánd received the assignment to design the new IT Headquarters of the Argali Real Estate Gmbh in Paderborn as a major regional centre. The location was chosen based on this vision to ensure a sustainable combination of modern architecture and high-profile, ergonomic workstations, additional spaces are also incorporated, bearing in mind that as the company grows the number of employees of the IT Unit are expected to rise, as well. The design program was as follows: office place for the IT system administrator plus the IT development unit consisting of 75 persons – seated  basically in one huge office place. However an additional area was also required for potential further expansion. A simple formula was applied in the design: two identical protracted office wings were erected  facing each other with a shift. A central elliptical unit is located between the two long office wings accommodating all the social areas. The hallmark of the building is the wave-shape roofs of the two long external wings made of bent plywood glued timber beams, repeating in a unique rhythm.

Leading architect: Árpád Ferdinánd – Ferdinánd és Ferdinánd Építésziroda Kft.
Fellow architects: Andrea Balázs, Erzsébet Véghelyi-Sütő, Zoltán Babits, Áron Szepcsik, Attila Pikó, Bence Abonyi, Szong Wei, Attila Lovass
Structure: Zsolt Balogh – Balogh Statikus Iroda
Electrical engineering: Ferenc Kelemen, Ferenc Szepesi – Kelevill Kft., Romberg Paderborn
HVAC:  László Temesvári, József Nagy – Temesvári Tervező Mérnökiroda Kft., Niewels Paderborn
Public utilities: Miklós Ittzés – Ittzes Mérnökiroda Kft.
Landscape, garden: Bauer+Fecke Salzkotten
Interiors: Ferdinánd és Ferdinánd Építésziroda Kft. + pro office Lemgo
Fire protection: Reinhard Eberl-Pacan
Client: Argali Real Estate GmbH.
Contractors:  ARGE Wegener-Glowienka Paderborn Christoph Wegener, Niewels, Romberg, Bröcke-Löhr, Immig, Holub, Scheffer, Jäger, Kniesburges