Featured Project
All Quiet on the Factory Floor

Time was, it was children’s fashion that was produced in the factory building on Stuttgart’s Seyfferstrasse. It was here that Bleyle, a textile company, knitted the sailor suits so popular back in the days of the German Reich, thus becoming one of the best-known clothing companies in Germany. Today, it is two firms of architects, weinbrenner.single.arabzadeh and Orange Blu, that reside in a section of the building designed by architect Philipp Jakob Manz, erected in 1911, and known as the Daylight Factory because of its large windows. For the current usage of this architectural monument the building was divided up and carefully adapted to create meeting rooms, a kitchen and a model workshop for joint use by both companies. That said, the two work areas are completely separate.

The architects have succeeded in preserving the spaciousness and lightness of this former factory floor by opting for internal glass partitions, waist-high folding vanity screens and shelving systems as dividing elements that structure the space without interrupting its flow. The impressive concrete columns that support the roof still dominate the impression made by the space, leaving the arrangement of the factory building still easily comprehensible. In terms of acoustics, however, such large open spaces make for problems of their own. For this reason, it was important to pay proper attention to this aspect when planning the office zones. For instance, fitted carpets were laid to absorb noise. The “Lighting Pads” by Nimbus chosen by the architects fulfill several functions at once – the ceiling panels provide an integrated light/acoustic solution, their meticulous design and innovative technology making a vital contribution to the sense of spaciousness – two qualities that the Stuttgart-based architects very much appreciate. “In combination with the panels, the indirect ceiling lighting makes for a vibrant play of light and means that a relaxed overall impression is produced by the soffit,” explains Frank Marohn, office manager at weinbrenner.single.arabzadeh, approvingly.

The “Lighting Pads” are not the only product by Nimbus used in these double offices. Alongside the wall lights, “Office Air” standard lamps, with their indirect light, guarantee that the workstations are adequately lit. An atmosphere of focused tranquility is created by “TP30 Silence”, the textile acoustic panels installed between the desks. At the same time, with their colorful fabrics, these panels strike a dynamic note in the work areas, which otherwise feature quieter shades.