Corporate Architecture – Façade as a reflection of the product

Quality, innovation, and transparency are core values at Heidelberg and were to be reflected in architectural design. In the new hall 11, a large-format printing press generation was to be installed on an area of more than five soccer pitches and a suitable infrastructure to be developed to meet the high requirements in terms of load-bearing capacity, flexibility and functionality.

First, our experts from Dr. Schönheit + Partner came up with various architectural factory designs based on the Heidelberger products that are manufactured at the site. The choice fell on the “Machine” design, which takes up the shape of the 6-color printing machine that is pre-assembled and finally assembled in hall 11. Two longitudinal façades of 264 meters in length reflect the shape of this machine. The administrative area close to production is located along the façades, with 200 meters of glazing offering generous views into the assembly hall. The office and administration areas are designed according to the lean office principle: simple, transparent and open. The representative entrance symbolizes the “delivery”, the machine module in which printed sheets are stacked. Due to the heavy weight of the large printing presses, a statically sophisticated support structure was developed for a 63-ton crane. An expansion area for logistics, production and production-related administration was also planned in order to position the company for the future and to be able to react quickly to growth.

For over 170 years, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, headquartered in Heidelberg, has been a leading technology company in the global printing industry. From development and prototype construction to series production, service, and spare parts supply, the company provides its customers with comprehensive support, including the optimization of production processes.