Companies like the traditional firm Bau-Fritz GmbH are among the typical protagonists of Germany’s economic, craft, and technical culture. They are go-to partners when it comes to experience, knowledge, and skill — here, in the field of timber construction. And what about their corporate architecture? Impressive. Time and again, ambitiously designed company headquarters receive awards. This is also true for Bau-Fritz in Erkheim, a small rural town near Memmingen in the Unterallgäu region. Their Best Workspace — a warehouse building with 839 square meters of office space for 53 workstations — was built on the company’s own 29,000-square-meter site. The elongated structure was constructed using timber panel construction with large elements and insulated with natural wood shavings. The exterior is defined by spruce cladding, shaping the appearance of the two-story building with its widely overhanging gabled roof. As for materials: white aluminum was used externally for windows and gates; inside, the staircase, interior doors, and flooring in office and common areas are made of ash wood. Galvanized steel and grating were used for the exterior stairs and mezzanines, while the windows are fitted with solar control glass. A wide staircase and an elevator lead up to the attic floor. There, large roof windows along the ridge on both sides provide abundant daylight to the central open space. The six offices arranged along the sides can each accommodate up to four workstations. Four additional meeting rooms and a large conference room offer flexible usage options. Those moving into the warehouse can use the internal connection on the ground floor or access it via one of the eleven sectional doors on the sides, which are also suitable for vehicles. Above the mezzanine, a truss structure ensures a column-free space across the entire width of the hall.
