Kastner

Historic Setting

The internationally acclaimed advertising agency Kastner have commissioned Hirschmuellerschmidt Architektur to re-purpose an historic building as their new office. Close to the banks of the river Main in one of Offenbach’s up-and-coming neighborhoods, the premises are set in the historic ‘Heyne Fabrik’, a former bolt and screw factory built around 1813, incorporating two single-story buildings with different ceiling heights. The space now hosts a total of 42 workstations and meeting zones, which can be expanded to 50 if required. The floorplan is predominantly open space, to be use by teams of four, with separate areas for the illustrators, a workshop, conference rooms and the ‘captain’s cabin’. Works of local artists feature throughout. The furniture comes from well-known international manufacturers, together with the architects’ own designs for the conference tables and desks.

Raw and Powerful

The existing brick walls, wooden ceilings, steel and exposed concrete elements were retained and refurbished as part of the works. Consequently, the remodeling was mainly carried out with untreated and rough sawn oak veneer as well as raw, powdered and matt lacquered steel. The colors, nuanced from red to black, are based on the existing materials such as brick walls, thus lending the space a charming industrial appeal.