Bene Office Furniture

Citadeles Moduli

Architect: gmp von Gerkan, Marg & Partner (Hochbau), Hamburg
Interior design: m-plus design GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg
Sales Office: Bene GmbH, Hamburg

A parking garage with a bench on top of it. Whoever dares wins. The new Citadeles Moduli in Riga has become an extraordinary project; its interior design is harmonised in form and colour with the exterior architecture while offering optimal functionality in a striking design.

Approaching the centre of Riga, you cross over the Daugava River. To the right, there are modern high rises to admire, some of them still under construction. Then you drive over the river and see the large cruise ships, leading you to believe that the Baltic might be just a stone's throw away. The Riga skyline rises impressively above the old city, which is a UNESCO world heritage city. When you get closer, the view of a cubic building on the left side of the bridge attracts your gaze.


Strong architecture.

Looking at the distinctive lamella facade, you immediately think of falling autumn leaves clinging to the morning dew on the facade. The warm autumn tones contrast with the strict geometric granite siding that divides the building into a square cube. The forceful straight-line forms are interrupted by round external lifts whose glass encasements sparkle with the sun's reflection and glitter with the waves of the Daugava river.

In 1994, investors attempted to build an office building on this site. After various proposals were rejected by the building authorities, a native son of Riga, Meinhard von Gerkan, with his architecture firm gmp von Gerkan, Marg & Partner, submitted a project proposal for the first above-ground parking garage in the city: an ultra-modern building reminiscent of the city's market halls. The cubist modules – hence the name Citadeles Moduli – were approved immediately by the building authorities after a discussion with UNESCO.

No small undertaking to build over the existing parking garage and create a contemporary construction. A change in users - from a ministry to the country's main bank - did not simplify the transition either. But after 14 months of work on the building interior, the most modern, comfortable and multifunctional office building in the entire Baltic region was completed.

For the user, the building offers, in addition to sufficient space for all back-office areas, two extremely comfortable main halls, as well as several "public" areas for private banking, consulting and all kinds of bank business.


Planning and design of office and work environments.

In order to promote internal communication and the rapid exchange of information, all teams work in open space areas. For brokers, the transparent design of the workplace, which makes their colleagues visible, is particularly important. Customer meetings take place in discreet individual transparent spaces. The use of the Bene T-Platform is reflected throughout the arrangement. Doing without rolling pedestals is an unusual step; therefore, Bene placed a folding cabinet for each employee above or on the acoustic dividing walls. All of the workplaces, whether combinations of two, four or six, were constructed out of Bene's flexible T-Platform product line. Bene equipped those workplaces that are outside of the individual offices with acoustically effective dividing walls. The consultant workspaces include the Comforto swivel chairs and the Dexter cantilever chair.

Team leader offices are generous individual spaces equipped with Bene free form tables from the AL line. These AL offices were also equipped with Wilkhahn Neos swivel and cantilever chairs. The broker area, the "heart" of the bank, is functional down to the chairs with integrated headrests from Comforto. During planning and implementation, special needs and desires were comprehensively addressed. For example, every member of a team can easily affix up to six monitors at their workplace.

Large country flags printed on glass bayonets provide signage for departments. The desired division of the various autonomous spaces is reflected not only in the different product lines, but also in the usage of materials: from melamine HPL boards to the use of real wood furnishings - yet the beige/chocolate and silver colour scheme remains consistent throughout. This colour palette gives the building an elegant, timeless appearance that will continue to radiate a modern, contemporary touch long into the future.

In the hallways and the public areas, the power-colour red defines the "public" spaces. All of the hallways are equipped with straight wall cladding that incorporates lighting elements that are pleasing to the eye. The red flooring from InterfaceFlor guides bank clients to the consultancy space. High-quality materials such as wood, leather and chrome create a restrained environment and offer the highest levels of comfort. The conference zones are also comfortable and spacious, and are furnished throughout with the Bene AL product range in oak amaretto and Bene’s Dexter cantilever chairs in cream-coloured leather. The peaceful impression is lightened by graceful chairs in various shades of red.

The hallway to the executive area is dominated by travertine wall cladding in which the bank’s awards are displayed in glass cases. The two presidents’ offices are framed by a travertine divider. The large secretarial area is located between their two offices. All of the work equipment retracts behind large sliding doors, allowing the entire ambiance to radiate calm and confidence. Visitors to the executive area can make themselves comfortable in the pumpkin-coloured leather Elton chairs by Walter Knoll before they are led into the presidents’ offices.

A particular highlight of the project is the interior auditorium. You would scarcely believe that this peaceful, elegant space, with its mauve carpet, acoustic wall cladding in walnut and its cream-coloured, comfortable cinema chairs was previously a parking deck.