Alnatura Campus
Darmstadt / Germany

2015 – 2019

Open, simple, sustainable, and people-orientated describes the newly constucted building of Alnatura Working Environment.

Alnatura Working Environment in the city of Darmstadt has reached an architectural milestone in terms of sustainability, material efficiency, openness, and new ways of working in an office building. The building at Alnatura Campus, designed by haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050, offers special features such as the use of an innovative rammed-earth façade and it is the first worldwide instance of using geothermal wall heating. Also remarkable is the sound-absorbing wooden lamella ceiling, which spans the atrium and the entirely open office space.

The building on the site of the former US-Army Kelley Barracks hardly brings to mind a conventional office building and offers space for up to 500 employees on three floors with a floor area of approximately 10,000 m2. Architecturally, the building should not intimidate, but welcome and integrate the environment, new ideas, and people. It is a workshop for ideas impressive with its simplicity.

Picture by Brigida Gonzalez

Alnatura Working Environment: A Visit

Open Space

On the east side of the building a new plaza leads to the main entrance. Entering the atrium of the new Alnatura Working Environment elicits a feeling similar to being out in the open air: the transparent roof and front facades allow in so much sunlight that the whole interior is flooded with light. The curved lines of the different floor levels draw the attention of the visitor upwards toward the timber roof, which is suffused with light. It is immediately apparent that almost nothing here gives the visitor an impression of a conventional office building.

In spite of the building’s clarity of form, strength, and dimensions, the curved edges of the different floor levels adds playfulness and lightness along with a strong sense of movement. The roof slopes embrace the atrium without delimiting space.

The new Alnatura Working Environment thrives on its internal networks. Bridges, stairs and walkways link the different levels. Pervading the space as intermeshing pathways, they create horizontal and vertical neighbourhoods. Thanks to this, all 3 office levels are interconnected in a playful manner. You can always get to where you need to be quickly and efficiently. The Working Environment is not divided endlessly into individual departments, enclosed compartments, or confusing corridors. Instead the building comprises a single large space extending between the facades, from the ground floor up to the roof without any interfering partitions. This offers the employees and the company a wide range of different uses and breaking with the dogma of rigid office layouts. Workplaces are identified by their location in very diverse spatial situations: “private” work areas, such as the alcoves, contrast with “public” areas. There are no separating doors. Meeting areas can be screened off with the help of acoustically insulating curtains. For cross-functional teams to really work together effectively requires not just accessibility, but also the creation of places where they can meet and exchange information. To this end, open “kitchenettes” are available on all floors which function doubly as meeting rooms. Kitchens, wooden tables, armchairs and sofas have been arranged to create a relaxed and inviting setting which serves as a congenial backdrop for stimulating conversation.

Acoustics

To visitors of the building the dampened soundscape in this open space will come as a pleasant surprise. It is an atmosphere you would normally associate with smaller spaces. In order not to impair the thermal storage capacity of ceilings and walls, no cladding panels or suspended ceilings could be used.

Therefore a special solution was developed: using absorber strips integrated directly into the concrete soffits. The cellular structure of these prefabricated elements effectively refracts sound waves, which significantly reduces noise levels. Along with this innovation - developed by the Fraunhofer Institute - the timber roof with its acoustically effective wooden slat ceiling plays an important role. In addition, the wooden window linings and micro-perforated panels to the building cores have a further dampening effect on noise. Furthermore the open pores of the rammed earth wall contribute to the excellent room acoustic properties of the building.

Picture 1 by Brigida Gonzalez, Picture 2&3 by Roland Halbe

LowTech: Natural Ventilation and Cooling

From the very beginning a key design objective had been to achieve natural ventilation in the building throughout the year and to avoid resource and maintenance intensive HVAC systems. The forest towards the west provided ideal conditions for this.

Forests are the perfect source of fresh air. In addition, evaporation through the upper side of leaves provides for natural conditioning during summer. Fresh air for the Alnatura Working Environment is drawn into a subterranean channel by two air intake towers and distributed through the building.

Thanks to the pre-conditioned air supplied by the earth duct, the need for additional heating and cooling is reduced to a minimum. The storage mass of the loam walls and concrete ceiling ensure that the temperature level is stable and balanced. The very high rooms as well as the evaporation cooling effect of the loam help prevent the forming of heat pockets in work areas during hot summer days. With its 69cm thick loam walls, the Alnatura Working Environment easily survives the summer without the assistance of mechanical cooling.

Picture by Roland Halbe

Holistic Sustainable Approach

The design of the Alnatura Working Environment explored many new design avenues. Not only did the planning team assess the energy that would be needed to operate the building, they critically reviewed all resources required for its construction, upkeep, and eventual demolition and removal without exception.

This new holistic approach was regarded as exemplary and received funding from the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU). Analysis of grey energy early on in the design process of the Alnatura Campus permitted the development of energy-efficient solutions for individual components. Planning parameters were developed together with the Technical University of Munich, which will help future projects to achieve resource neutrality. The project findings are to be published in 2019.

Alnatura Working Environment has recently been awarded the Platinum Certificate of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB).

Materials

The Rammed Earth Facade
An innovative rammed earth facade was developed together with Martin Rauch and Transsolar. Rammed earth blocks (3.5m by 1.0m) were stacked along the northern and southern facades to form 16 wall segments, each 12m high. Here, for the first time in the world, a geothermal wall heating system has been integrated into a dry loam wall. Another noteworthy feature of this construction is that the rammed earth elements, which were produced directly adjacent to the construction site, have an insulated core: 17cm of insulation consisting of foam glass gravel, a recycling product. The walls contain not only loam collected from the Westerwald and lava gravel from the Eifel Region, but also recycled earth excavated from the tunnel of the Stuttgart 21 Train Station Project.

Horizontal erosion barriers consisting of clay and trass lime were integrated every 30 to 60cm in order to stem the surface erosion of rammed earth. Just like river engineering works they diminish the power of the water flow, thereby minimizing erosion.

Almost no grey energy is required for the production, processing and potentially also the removal of rammed earth. Thanks to the durability of the material as well as the excellent properties of loam in terms of humidity regulation and thermal storage capacity, the building will preserve its value over a long period of time. As no algal or mossy growth occurs on the surface no cleaning or similar work needs to be performed on the façade. Inside the building, the porous surfaces help improve not only the indoor climate, but also the acoustic performance of the adjoining office area.

Daylight Quality

The building’s situation and orientation were carefully determined on the basis of microclimatic considerations. The long sides of the building are north and south facing in order to achieve optimal daylight conditions within. This ensured that the building would benefit from the diffuse north light entering through the atrium skylight, avoiding undesirable solar gains.

Short Facts
Client
Campus 360 GmbH
Planing Team
Architect haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050

Landscape Architect
 Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl – Überlingen / Germany

Tender and Construction Site Monitoring
 BGG Grünzig Ingenieurgesellschaft - Bad Homburg / Germany

Structural Engineer
Knippers & Helbig – Stuttgart / Germany

Energy Concept
Transsolar – Stuttgart / Germany

HVAC
 Henne & Walter – Reutlingen / Germany

Electrical Engineer
 ib.schwarz – Stuttgart / Germany

Building Physics
KNP – Köln / Germany

Fire Protection Consultant 
Tichelmann & Barillas – Darmstadt / Germany

Rammed Earth Masonry
 Lehm Ton Erde - Scheins / Austria

Photography 
Roland Halbe - Stuttgart / Germany
Area and other data
55,000 m2 Campus
13,500 m2 Alnatura Working Environment
18.93 m Height of roof ridge
94.40 m Length of building
384 Number of rammed earth blocks
1000 m3 Volume of rainwater cistern
82 kW Geothermal energy system
90 kWp Photovoltaic system
155 Number of bicycle parking spaces

Team

Bastian Stöcklein

Projects

Alnatura Campus

Alnatura Campus

Open, simple, sustainable, and people-orientated describes the newly constructed building of Alnatura Working Environment.

Eduardo Martín Rodríguez

Architekt

Eduardo hat in Madrid (Universidad Politécnica) und Weimar (Bauhaus) Architektur studiert. Während seinem Studium war er unter anderem in „3GOffice“ und „Gazapo & Marquerie arquitectos“ in Madrid tätig.

Eduardo arbeitet als Architekt bei haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 seit 2013. Zu seinem bisherigen Tätigkeiten zählt die Mitarbeit an Wettbewerben (u.a. Merecedes Benz Campus in Stuttgart), sowie die Werkplanung für verschiedene Projekte: Schmalz Empfangsgebäude in Glatten (2014-2015), Alnatura Arbeitswelt in Darmstadt (2016-2017) und ein Logistikzentrum in Walldorf (2018).

Projects

Promega

Promega

The project "Promega Under One Roof" unites all functional areas and subsidiaries of Promega Corp under a new single roof. Currently these functions are spread under different buildings in Mannheim.
Mercedes Benz Cultural Center

Mercedes Benz Cultural Center

haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 won 3rd prize for the Mercedes-Benz Cultural Center in Bejing, China
Franklin Hochpunkt_H

Franklin Hochpunkt_H

As part of the redevelopment of the Franklin Barracks in Mannheim four separate towers are planned in the distinctive form of letter-shaped buildings. haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 has been appointed for the high-rise „H“.
Experimenta  Heilbronn, Germany

Experimenta Heilbronn, Germany

Visitors are greeted with a welcoming gesture. The building opens to all sides, embracing the outdoor space as an integral part of the distinctly exploratory architecture. The extension of the Experimenta floats above the forecourt, before the view of the visitor opens into a fantastic, multi-storey foyer. The cocoon-like forms of the TALENT INCUBATORS emerge as over-sized sculptures through the roof. Weaving between them is the orange space-time spiral, leading into the courtyard of the special exhibition, before diving underneath the forecourt and into the existing building.
Reception Building for J. Schmalz GmbH

Reception Building for J. Schmalz GmbH

The new reception building for J. Schmalz GmbH was built at the company’s headquarters, located in Glatten, Germany. The project was planned in collaboration with Werner Sobek.
Mercedes-Benz Campus

Mercedes-Benz Campus

The Mercedes-Benz Campus is intended as the crowning element of Stuttgart’s Neckarpark. “High Tech – High Nature”. What better symbolizes a worthwhile future? The lake in the centre of the campus serves as an energy engine; its role is to help in making aspects of renewable energy understandable. With the "Wave" and other public activities, the visitor himself is encouraged to be part of the spectacle. We have the responsibility for shaping our future ourselves! Both the Campus and the Future Center therefore do not focus on objects, but on people; their movement, their behaviour and their ambitions, people undertaking research, experimenting and sharing their experience in striving to develop a better future.
Al Mawalih Souk of Life

Al Mawalih Souk of Life

The Children’s Center is an important step in the revival of the AL Mawalih Souk of Life. It is a place for the entire family. A library, a small theatre, and a cafe defined by picnic niches, reading and creative areas offer a wide range of amenities. haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 have, together with the specialist consultants Transsolar KlimaEngineering, developed a wide-ranging sustainable strategy combining state-of-the-art technology with local traditions and materials, thus enabling the abandonment of central air conditioning.
Alnatura Campus

Alnatura Campus

Open, simple, sustainable, and people-orientated describes the newly constructed building of Alnatura Working Environment.

Elena Krämer

Elena studierte Architektur an der Hochschule für Technik in Konstanz (BA) und an der Staatlichen Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Stuttgart (MA). Im studienbegleitenden Praktikum bei schnebli ammann menz architekten in Zürich arbeitete sie an einer Wohnüberbauung und einem Bürogebäude.

Nach Tätigkeiten in Süddeutschland und im Oberengadin, wo Elena bei Lazzarini Architekten am Entwurf für Ordos 100 mitarbeitete, ist sie seit 2013 bei haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 als Architektin tätig.

Elena ist seit 2014 zusammen mit Sinan Tiryaki Projektleiterin des Alnatura Campus in Darmstadt.

Projects

Redevelopment of Youth Hostel Munich City

Redevelopment of Youth Hostel Munich City

haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 won the 2nd prize in the international competition for the refurbishment of the Youth Hostel “Munich City”. The simple timber construction and the distinctive folded fassade underline the informality of the location and lending the youth hostel on Winthirplatz a distinctive workshop character.
Alnatura Campus

Alnatura Campus

Open, simple, sustainable, and people-orientated describes the newly constructed building of Alnatura Working Environment.

Eva Engele

Projects

Regional Music School and Concert Hall

Regional Music School and Concert Hall

haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 will be completing the planning and construction of the Concert Hall and Music School in Ventspils. Construction started in Fall 2016. The opening is scheduled for 2019 in celebration of Latvia's 100th anniversary.
Alnatura Campus

Alnatura Campus

Open, simple, sustainable, and people-orientated describes the newly constructed building of Alnatura Working Environment.

Ioannis Siopidis

Projects

Alnatura Campus

Alnatura Campus

Open, simple, sustainable, and people-orientated describes the newly constructed building of Alnatura Working Environment.

Lena Lang

Innenarchitektin, Assoziierte

Lena studierte in Coburg (DE) und Stuttgart (DE), sowie in Lugano (CH) Innenarchitektur. Im Laufe ihres Studiums sammelte sie in diversen Büros Erfahrung und fand, nach dem erfolgreich absolvierten Master an der HFT, ihren Einstieg bei Scope Architekten in Stuttgart. Seit 2017 ist sie als Innenarchitektin bei haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 angestellt.


Als Innenarchitektin war Lena für den preisgekrönten Alnatura Campus in Darmstadt mit verantwortlich. Lena verfügt über umfangreiche Erfahrungen im Entwurf und in der Ausführung, darunter der Alnatura Campus und Promega Under One Roof.


Lena betreut derzeit die Planung und Umsetzung des Innenausbaus bei den Projekten Besucherzentrum Rapunzel und Radstation Tübingen.

Projects

Enercity

Enercity

The new corporate headquarters of Enercity in Hanover, designed by haas cook zemmrich STUDIO2050, has been opened.
Rapunzel Naturkost Visitor Center

Rapunzel Naturkost Visitor Center

Visiting Rapunzel: haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 is planning the new Visitor Center for the head quarters of the organic manufacturer Rapunzel Naturkost GmbH in Legau.
Promega

Promega

The project "Promega Under One Roof" unites all functional areas and subsidiaries of Promega Corp under a new single roof. Currently these functions are spread under different buildings in Mannheim.
Office Renovation

Office Renovation

haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 has completed the renovation of offices in Stuttgart offering panoramic views over the rooftops of the city.
Alnatura Campus

Alnatura Campus

Open, simple, sustainable, and people-orientated describes the newly constructed building of Alnatura Working Environment.

Martin Haas

Partner Freier Architekt BDA / Miller Chair University of Pennsylvania

Martin Haas hat in Stuttgart und London Architektur studiert. Von 1995-2012 war Martin Haas bei Behnisch Architekten tätig. Nach dem Gewinn einiger Wettbewerbe war er unter anderem von 1996-2002 mit Jörn Genkel als Projektleiter für die NORD/LB in Hannover verantwortlich. Danach arbeitete Haas an internationalen Projekten in Dubai, Italien und Frankreich bevor er 2005 Partner in Behnisch Architekten wurde. Als Partner war Martin Haas verantwortlich für das Stadtentwicklungsprojekt Riverparc in Pittsburgh, für Labor und Büroprojekte in Paris, für das Haus im Haus in der Handelskammer Hamburg, die Unilever Zentrale und den Marco Polo Tower in Hamburg, sowie für das Ozeaneum in Stralsund. Martin Haas war auch Co-Kurator der sehr erfolgreichen Wanderausstellung "Ökologie, Design, Synergie".


Den Schwerpunkt seiner Arbeit legt Haas auf die Entwicklung innovativer, nachhaltiger Architektur. Nach 6 Jahren der Partnerschaft gründet Haas, zusammen mit David Cook und Stephan Zemmrich im April 2012 sein eigenes Büro haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 mit Projekten im In und Ausland.


Als Mitbegründer des DGNB ist Martin Haas Mitglied des Präsidiums, und seit 2013 deren Vizepräsident.Seit 2008 hat er eine Gastprofessur and der University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA sowie an der Universita di Sassari in Italien inne.


Martin Haas ist Mitglied des Gestaltungsbeirats in Konstanz und Offenburg. Seit 2020 ist er ehrenamtliches Mitglied des Konvents der Baukultur.

Projects

Cuore:NINO

Cuore:NINO

Campus HafenCity

Campus HafenCity

Nestbau⁴

Nestbau⁴

Rapunzel Naturkost Visitor Center

Rapunzel Naturkost Visitor Center

Visiting Rapunzel: haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 is planning the new Visitor Center for the head quarters of the organic manufacturer Rapunzel Naturkost GmbH in Legau.
VielArten

VielArten

haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 are awarded the contract for the VielArten building community project in Tübingen
Rammed earth residential house in Heilbronn, Germany

Rammed earth residential house in Heilbronn, Germany

haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 are planing a rammed earth residential house at the Neckarbogen in Heilbronn, Germany.
Smart Mobility Hub

Smart Mobility Hub

haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 gewinnen 1. Preis beim Wettbewerb "Smart Mobility Hub“ in Stuttgart
Elementary School and Kindergarden in Bremen

Elementary School and Kindergarden in Bremen

First place for haascookzemmrich STUDIO 2050
Berliner Platz

Berliner Platz

First place for haascookzemmrich STUDIO 2050
Spring Park Valley Hotel

Spring Park Valley Hotel

Haascookzemmrich Studio2050 is tasked with a hotelproject made of rammed earth in Bad Vilbel near Frankfurt including 250 guest rooms.

Philip Furtwängler

Projects

Alnatura Campus

Alnatura Campus

Open, simple, sustainable, and people-orientated describes the newly constructed building of Alnatura Working Environment.

Sinan Tiryaki

Architekt, Assoziierter

Sinan Tiryaki studierte in Stuttgart (DE) und Istanbul (TR) Architektur und schloss 2013 sein Diplom mit Auszeichnung an der Universität Stuttgart ab. Während und nach seinem Studium arbeitete er in mehreren Architekturbüros und war als Lehrkraft an der Universität Stuttgart tätig.

Bei haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 ist Sinan Tiryaki seit 2013 als Architekt angestellt. Von 2014 bis 2019 war er Projektleiter für das preisgekrönte Projekt Alnatura in Darmstadt. Danach leitete er das Projekt Rapunzel Welt in Legau von 2019 bis 2022. Derzeit ist er Projektleiter für den Neubau Campus HafenCity in Hamburg.

Zu seinen bisherigen Tätigkeiten zählen außerdem die Mitarbeit an diversen Wettbewerben (u.a. Campus HafenCity in Hamburg) sowie an städtebaulichen Gutachterverfahren (u.a. Music-Campus in Hamburg). Parallel war Sinan Tiryaki als Honorarlehrkraft an der Universität Stuttgart und an der HFT Stuttgart tätig.

Projects

Campus HafenCity

Campus HafenCity

Rapunzel Naturkost Visitor Center

Rapunzel Naturkost Visitor Center

Visiting Rapunzel: haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 is planning the new Visitor Center for the head quarters of the organic manufacturer Rapunzel Naturkost GmbH in Legau.
House of Life

House of Life

haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 has been awarded 2nd prize in the architectural competition for "House of Life“ in Hamburg / Germany
Gruner+Jahr

Gruner+Jahr

haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 contribution to the international competition for Gruner + Jahr in Hamburg serves as a dynamic and welcoming meeting point for the entire HafenCity.
Redevelopment of Youth Hostel Munich City

Redevelopment of Youth Hostel Munich City

haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 won the 2nd prize in the international competition for the refurbishment of the Youth Hostel “Munich City”. The simple timber construction and the distinctive folded fassade underline the informality of the location and lending the youth hostel on Winthirplatz a distinctive workshop character.
Alnatura Campus

Alnatura Campus

Open, simple, sustainable, and people-orientated describes the newly constructed building of Alnatura Working Environment.

Yohhei Kawasaki

Architekt

Nach erfolgreichem Abschluss seines Studiums im Fach Materials Engineering in Japan, war Yohhei als Produktdesigner / technischer Zeichner in Japan tätig. Nach zwei Jahren Berufserfahrung als Produktdesigner studierte er Architektur BA und MA in Stuttgart (DE). Während und nach seinem Studium war Yohhei in mehreren Büros in Süddeutschland tätig. Unter anderem arbeitete er für LAVA in Stuttgart.


Bei haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 ist Yohhei seit 2013 als Architekt angestellt. Yohhei verfügt über umfangreiche Erfahrungen mit Designwettbewerben, darunter das Mercedes Benz Cultural Center, Beijing, China, und die Grundschule Sodenmatt in Bremen.


Zu seinen bisherigen Tätigkeiten zählt auch die Mitarbeit für das Projekt Alnatura Campus in Darmstadt und die Mitarbeit beim Rapunzel Besucherzentrum in Legau, sowie die Projektleitung für das Projekt Smichov City, Sever Prag, Tchechoslowakei und das Kaldewei Innovationszentrum in Aalen, Deutschland.


Seit 2020 ist Yohhei für das Projekt Berliner Platz in Hamburg tätig und unterstützt seit 2023 das Projekt Stampflehmhaus Heilbronn

Projects

Rapunzel Naturkost Visitor Center

Rapunzel Naturkost Visitor Center

Visiting Rapunzel: haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 is planning the new Visitor Center for the head quarters of the organic manufacturer Rapunzel Naturkost GmbH in Legau.
Elementary School and Kindergarden in Bremen

Elementary School and Kindergarden in Bremen

First place for haascookzemmrich STUDIO 2050
Berliner Platz

Berliner Platz

First place for haascookzemmrich STUDIO 2050
Smichov City – Sever

Smichov City – Sever

Experimenta  Heilbronn, Germany

Experimenta Heilbronn, Germany

Visitors are greeted with a welcoming gesture. The building opens to all sides, embracing the outdoor space as an integral part of the distinctly exploratory architecture. The extension of the Experimenta floats above the forecourt, before the view of the visitor opens into a fantastic, multi-storey foyer. The cocoon-like forms of the TALENT INCUBATORS emerge as over-sized sculptures through the roof. Weaving between them is the orange space-time spiral, leading into the courtyard of the special exhibition, before diving underneath the forecourt and into the existing building.
Al Mawalih Souk of Life

Al Mawalih Souk of Life

The Children’s Center is an important step in the revival of the AL Mawalih Souk of Life. It is a place for the entire family. A library, a small theatre, and a cafe defined by picnic niches, reading and creative areas offer a wide range of amenities. haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 have, together with the specialist consultants Transsolar KlimaEngineering, developed a wide-ranging sustainable strategy combining state-of-the-art technology with local traditions and materials, thus enabling the abandonment of central air conditioning.
Alnatura Campus

Alnatura Campus

Open, simple, sustainable, and people-orientated describes the newly constructed building of Alnatura Working Environment.
Auszeichnungen
  • 2010
    DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council) Platinum Award for Sustainable Office Building
  • 2010
    Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis 2020
  • 2010
    best architects winner
  • 2010
    German Design Award - Winner Excellent Architecture 2020
  • 2010
    best workspace of the month 12/19
  • 2010
    Best Workspace of the Year 2020
  • 2010
    Deutscher Architekturpreis 2021 Anerkennung
  • 2020
    Rethinking the Future Award
  • 2021
    Terra Fibra Award
  • 2020
    Vorbildliche Bauten