Viereck Architects have realized a unique and forward-looking office building, that combines the demanding requirements of a high-tech work environment with a strong focus on employee wellbeing and innovative design. The project sets standards in creating an inspiring environment that harmoniously unites technological precision and human interaction. The building goes far beyond mere functionality and reflects the clients vision as a highly technologized energy company with strong regional ties.
Architecture:
The architectural style of the new building can be described as a symbiosis of high-tech minimalism and parametric aesthetics. The clear, yet flowing geometry of the building mass, emphasized by rounded corners and the floating volume of the upper floor, demonstrates a modern and progressive approach. The fine perforation of the aluminum façade gives the building a subtle texture and graceful lightness that distinguishes it from typical surroundings. The building embodies an architecture that is functional, forward-looking, and poetic — a metaphor for the connection between technology and nature. Through its forms and patterns it communicates identity and the clients technological guiding principles.
Façade:
The building’s exterior reflects a clear, functionalist aesthetic while retaining an inviting transparency. It consists of a complex weave of aluminum laser-cut panels, whose parametrically generated perforation pattern is not only visually appealing, but also narrative: it echoes the flowing contours of Austria’s river landscapes — a direct link to the clients core expertise in hydropower. Each of the countless façade panels differs in shape, size, and perforation, yet together they form a coherent and atmospheric whole. The kinetic façade, made of automated folding elements, can respond to environmental influences and actively adapt — for optimal sun protection, ventilation, and visual transformation throughout the day. This creates a surface that moves, flows, and changes like water — an architectural homage to nature’s rhythms. Manufactured from precisely crafted aluminum plates, the system combines digital fabrication technologies with a poetic connection to nature. The façade is both, a high-performance building envelope and a kinetic sculpture — architecture as a living expression of the Austrian river landscapes. Large windows ensure optimally light-filled rooms and create a visual connection to the surroundings, while carefully integrated sun screens, combined with the kinetic façade, prevent overheating and glare.
Interior Design:
Inside the building, the central large atrium with a skylight, plays a decisive role in internal communication. As a vertical axis and light-filled space, it becomes the heart that connects different work areas. It promotes exchange, encounters, and spatial orientation by bringing light deep into the building and creating an open, collaborative working atmosphere. At the center of the atrium, a terracotta-colored sculptural staircase links the two floors. The atrium thus emphasizes a culture of transparency and networking that highlights both technical expertise and the human factor. The generous window areas enhance visual communication between the workspaces and the surrounding landscape, providing employees with a constant connection to the outside world and thereby increasing wellbeing. The interior concept is derived from the variety of different bodies of water and translates their color palettes into an architectural language. Different shades of green, turquoise, and blue form the basis of the color concept. These hues shape surfaces and selected fixtures and create a calm, balanced atmosphere with a high quality of stay. Terracotta serves as a continuous accent color, running like a red thread throughout the entire building. It provides targeted contrast to the cool water colors and gives the rooms warmth, depth, and identity. Terracotta appears in details, furnishings, and architectural elements, ensuring a distinctive recognizability. The materiality thrives on the dynamic dialogue between cool and warm surfaces. Stainless steel, with its clear, technical character, deliberately meets warm wood tones that convey naturalness and comfort. Overall, an atmosphere emerges that is clear, calm, and balanced. The reference to nature, combined with timeless design, gives the spaces an independent identity and a sustainable architectural quality.
