Case Study: Vaillant | Gold award for combination of history and modernity
Vaillant’s new headquarters in Katowice combines innovative and modern design with functionality, adapting to the modern needs of a hybrid working. The design integrates with the city’s rich history and industrial past, while highlighting the company’s history.
The project has also received international recognition, winning gold in the Global Future Design Awards organized by Architecture Press Release (APR).
Project objectives:
- Create a space that supports hybrid working.
- Combine elements of Katowice’s local heritage with modern office design.
- Reflect Vaillant’s values, history and innovative spirit in interior design.
- Increase employee comfort and productivity.
The beginning of story
Vaillant is one of the leading suppliers of environmentally friendly heat pumps and efficient gas boilers. The new office is located in the center of Katowice, with an area of more than 1,400 sqm in the modern office building .KTW II. The process of selecting the location and negotiating the lease terms was supported by experts from the Colliers Katowice office, while the Colliers Define team was responsible for the design and author’s supervision of the implementation. Vaillant’s new IT center is expected to play a key role in the company’s strategy and development.
Process
During the designing of the new office, the Colliers Define team conducted a workshop to develop a clear office organization model that reflects the company’s characteristics and promotes comfort and efficiency.
We began the process of designing Vaillant’s new office by conducting a workshop to thoroughly analyze the needs and work specifics of both the company and its employees. In creating the design concept for the office, we tried to reflect the innovative, modern character of the company, including the use of distinctive materials and tailoring the space to the needs of individual teams.
A key element of our meetings with the client was an analysis of the work styles of three predefined groups of employees: agile workers, developers, and consultants. This allowed us to tailor the space to their daily needs.
From ideas to shapes
The design of Vaillant’s new office focuses on modern and functional solutions. The color scheme is based on shades of blue and marine, with accents of yellow and magenta. Glass, metal and wood are the dominant materials.
The office is divided into quiet and noisy zones, suitable for focused work and team activities. There are also phone booths, focus rooms, workshop rooms and a library that can also be used for meetings.
The office space was designed with hybrid working in mind, so employees do not have top-down workstations in the office. This promotes their mobility and encourages them to work in different zones, quiet or noisy, depending on their current needs.
Upon entering the Vaillant office, visitors are greeted by a “soft seating” area instead of a traditional reception desk. This space, finished with a variety of materials in shades of emerald, yellow and gray, is furnished with comfortable soft seating, a decorative lamp and a world map showing Vaillant’s business locations.
At the same time, the map improves the acoustic qualities of the interior because it was cut from PET felt. Above the entire area is a decorative lamp that winds up to the ceiling in the form of a 20-meter-long illuminated tube.
The kitchen is the heart of the office. It promotes integration and relationship building with home-like furniture, unconventional finishing materials and interesting colors. In the window area, an almost floating bench, table and sofa were arranged with a view of Katowice, allowing to admire the city skyline.
A meeting of history and modernity
Locating the office in the region’s tallest building was no coincidence – it harmonizes perfectly with Vaillant’s 150-year tradition, combining the past and industrial heritage with modernity.
Katowice’s local heritage was an important aspect in the design of the office’s interior, so we can find many graphic references to the rich history of the tenant itself. One example is a mural by graphic designer Magdalena Jaszczuk with motifs referring to characteristic elements of Katowice, such as Spodek and the .KTW complex, or interesting triptychs decorating the walls of meeting rooms and open space.
New reality
Vaillant’s new office in Katowice is a prime example of how a thoughtful approach to design can impact a workspace. By understanding the local identity, an inspiring space was created that not only encourages creativity, but also promotes a sense of belonging among employees.
Authors:
Workplace advisory: Dorota Osiecka, Mikołaj Tarnawa
Architecture & Planning: Agnieszka Ulatowska, Alicja Dziedzina-Majchrzyk,
Paulina Palmowska, Gabriela Kudełko
Space branding: Magdalena Jaszczuk