Our company’s constant growth over the past few years has made the new building necessary. However, instead of a building based on simple utility, THEURL took the opportunity to design a “living showroom”. The company's own glulam, CLTPLUS, planed goods and sawn timber products have been integrated so skilfully that visitors and customers can recognise instantly that wood, a supposedly simple building material, has hardly any limits with regards to creative and highly technical applications.
The requirement: to create a compact yet spacious workplace that encourages further thinking and mutual dialogue. An architecturally sophisticated structure that emphasises the aesthetic and structural advantages of wood as a building material. And a room that welcomes guests with open arms, inspiring and down-to-earth at the same time.
The solution: an extension to the existing office building, which is 22 metres high and offers 1,510 square metres of office space for 70 new jobs. The basement was designed as a concrete underground car park and forms the foundation of the four-story supporting structure of the office levels, which were all built entirely of wood. Staircase and lift shaft included.
Innovation is the future
Modern ways of thinking and acting require an appropriate environment. The interior design therefore focused on an innovative office concept including contemporary furnishings and the latest technical equipment. The extensive omission of load-bearing interior walls enables maximum flexibility in the division of space and use of space. While representative, public areas such as the sales department and meeting rooms are located on the ground floor, the first floor houses the human resources department, a common room and a roof terrace. The second floor includes meeting rooms and management offices. The crowning glory, so to speak, is the upper level featuring Peter Theurl Hall, a multifunctional seminar room from which opens up to impressive panoramic views of the entire location.
Light and transparent
Overall, the architectural language of the building is inviting and open, with the mullion and transom attachment facade providing glazing while the wooden thermal building envelope delivers stunning aesthetics. Inside and outside, natural materials dominate in changing variations: from the horizontal balcony strips with larch floors and the sun protection slats in front of the room-high glass facade to the natural spruce wood and the style-defining glulam slats in silver. This look is complemented by anthracite-coloured aluminium elements, which give the office tower a reserved but elegant and harmonious appearance. The border between the natural world and the interior seems to blur throughout the entire building thanks to the stylistic design devices used and creates an activating and pleasant working environment for the employees.
Engineered timber construction details of the executive class
Vertical loads are transferred via CLT walls in connection with exposed, free-standing glulam columns that can withstand ninety-minutes’ fire contact. The building is also earthquake-proof thanks to the clever transfer of shear forces through the interlocking of the component joints. Successful realisation of the entire building in its high technical quality was only possible due to the degree of precision in the joinery and cutting of the individual components. The result is a lively showroom that invites you to touch it and wonderfully demonstrates the entire range of wood as a building material. Im Erdgeschoss befinden sich repräsentative, öffentliche Bereiche wie die Verkaufsabteilung und Besprechungsräume. Public areas such as the sales department and meeting rooms are located on the ground floor. The mullion and transom attachment facade provides glazing while the wooden thermal building envelope delivers stunning aesthetics.
Project management
Theresa Theurl, THEURL Austrian Premium Timber
“For me, designing and building with wood means flexibility, speed and a huge feel-good factor. I can only see advantages here. In and of itself, the wooden shell is really cosy, and later on there is a particularly pleasant working atmosphere and, of course, a special scent. For me, wood simply radiates warmth and tranquillity.”
