Hageloft – Office and Residential

On a site where previously handlebar grips and table tennis balls were produced, a new development is taking shape combining housing and workspaces. After many years lying empty, the former Hagedorn chemical factory in Osnabrück has been carefully converted, renovated and extended. The heritage-listed complex now offers space for modern loft living as well as the new headquarters of MUUUH! Group, a service provider. The overriding objective was to preserve the industrial character of the preservation-worthy buildings in their basic structure, and at the same time create a contemporary, inspiring and striking work atmosphere by adding particular elements that fitted with the ensemble as a whole.

The old gatehouse of the Hagedorn site has gained an extra story, which protrudes out into the street. The gatehouse bore preserving, since it was a defining element of the Hagedorn site as the former entrance zone, but the arbitrary floorplan of this annex gave rise to the idea of placing the sports hall the developer wanted actually on the top of it. The additional story was extended forwards by around four meters so that it almost reaches the street. Thus, the former entry building has become more of a feature from any angle and is not buried as a mere one-story building between the Hageloft and the neighboring multi-story car park. In the form of a gold-framed cube, it serves as a multifunctional hall for events – and thanks to its cushioned floor, noise-insulated walls, and catch nets, it is also a fully functioning sports hall where the workforce can let off steam under ideal conditions.

The gatehouse also corresponds to the large façade opening in the factory building, which now hosts office space for the approximately 140 members of the MUUUH! Group’s staff in the wing adjoining Lotter Strasse. This opening is particularly important for the sake of creating the desired transparency. Around ten meters wide and more than 13 meters high, the glazed element spans four floors on the east façade. The gatehouse pavilion likewise boasts large windows, and the spatial distribution in the interior is also characterized by great openness.

The character of the old, industrial main building has in part been preserved and in part deliberately disrupted. The entire building has been extended with a recessed additional floor. The old, undefined existing tiles were light in color but gave way to a dark, almost black brick with dark joins in brickwork that date back to 1897. Historical superstructures have also been reconstructed on the end of the building, and these contrast with the recessed additional story, which is clearly distinguished from the existing building in its design language and, most significantly, in its materials. Golden sheet-metal cladding serves as an eye-catching element.

The brick façade was in very poor condition. For structural reasons but also to enhance energy saving and for the sake of structural physics, it had to be renovated entirely. The new veneer has deliberately been kept dark to give the imitation work, otherwise true to the original, the necessary degree of abstraction.

To upgrade the overall look of the building without destroying its character, the developer commissioned the Janinhoff brickworks to create dual-fired, water-struck bricks with a special finish to cover almost 2,500 m² of the facade. These were produced in traditional fashion, with the result being minimal tolerances and an irregular surface, which creates a lively impression and evokes a historical character in the façade. So as not to merely imitate the old, the developers opted for a modern color scheme.

For the extensions (penthouse level and sports hall), they chose the material TecuGold, since Alucobond appears very smooth and machine-like by comparison. Thus, the raw, color-abstracted brickwork with its matching mortar is juxtaposed to an artisanal surface that represents a thoughtful continuation of the old industrial character of the complex in the extensions. The processing of the material produces waves, and it has a charming way of aging. The original color of the material strikes a conscious contrast to the matt, raw brick. The gold remains soft and always vibrant regardless of the mood of the light.

The two historical staircases have likewise been extensively renovated as part of the development in line with current fire safety regulations, and the iron steps have been neatly varnished in bright colors. The first two metal staircases in the central, 123-year-old stairwell were left in their original, richly patinated condition, however. By contrast, the windows are new, although modelled on the wood of the old windows. The interior brickwork has been meticulously exposed and whitewashed by hand.

The various different themed areas of the office spaces can largely be seen through the new glazed east façade. A tour around the building reveals just how much impressive dedication has gone into every detail of the interior fittings. A golden escalator takes guests and employees from the reception on the ground floor directly to the 1960s Bar Centrale on the first floor. With its solid, coffee-house tables and authentically styled seating, this offers a seemingly open, inspiring place to work. From here, a golden open-air bridge leads to the neighboring pavilion with the sports hall on the first floor. Beneath it, the former gatehouse hosts the large meeting area, which surprises visitors with its statement in neon: “lasst Blumen sprechen” – “say it with flowers”.

In the main building, the surprises continue on the second floor, where the orange-colored disco invites you to dance. Above it, there is a quiet corner in the Scandinavian area, a café inspired by the design of the SAS Hotel in Copenhagen – this time in a blue-toned variation and in conformity with the rules of feng shui.
These meeting areas serve for communication and break with the conventions of classic office buildings. Here, members of staff from different units can gather together or meet clients.

The open-space work areas mean it is the team itself that decides where to gather. Be it in the disco with its bright orange tones or in the minimalist Scandinavian setting, there’s something for everyone here. For greater visual depth, partition walls have been avoided on all floors. New steel girders that reach from the basement up to the penthouse now take on the load-bearing function. On the office levels, industrial-style latticed glazing divides the quiet office spaces from the extensive open areas.

The southern wing of the building contains 18 modern apartments with sizes varying from 50 to 150 m². Large-sized windows, cast iron struts and unsupported reinforced concrete beams characterize the living spaces and preserve the industrial charm of the old factory. The cast iron struts have been extensively treated for the purposes of fire safety, while detached, installed boxes form the infrastructure with bathroom, kitchen, guest WC and cupboard elements. This, in correlation with the large windows, provides for spacious, loft-style living with fluid layouts. The east-west orientation also means there is plenty of light. An additional story has been added to the roof so that further living space could be created without the heritage-listed structure having to be changed. Together with the surrounding housing blocks that have been built on the site in the last few years, new residents can also make use of a landscaped inner courtyard.