An office you will remember
Deloitte Consulting in Vienna has merged with a number of consultancy firms and moved into a refurbished historical building in the heart of downtown Vienna. Archiguards, a team of architects, have given the office a strong identity – with a communication-based concept and refreshing design.Recently, a new landmark building has been added to Vienna’s urban landscape – at a place where the Freyung, one of the city’s finest old squares, narrows into Renngasse: An office building with a historical façade, whose interior flashes vivid signals of contemporaneousness to outside passers-by.
"We wanted to give the old building a modern and lively look without seeming overly trendy", explains Margareta Holz, head of Administration & Controlling of the Deloitte Group in Vienna and member of the in-house "central committee" on office planning. "Most of all, we wanted an office building that is definitely not uniform", Holz says. – In fact, the aim was to make a strong statement to disprove the "grey" image of the accounting business. "Deloitte wanted a highly customised solution", Gerd Zehetner, the project manager of Archiguards architects describes the brief: "The point was also to take the many different personalities into account that indeed work in this large building".
Flagship Office
The architect, Zehetner, developed a compelling solution for the office space. He approached the concept from two angles: The ground floor has been designed as a spacious place of venue which reflects the corporate culture and image of the company – according to Zehetner, in a way comparable to a "flagship store". On the other hand, the architect developed a so-called "floor concept", with each office floor reflecting a different theme like "Sun", "Scandinavia" or "Nature", using key colours, certain materials and specific furniture. This creates an individualistic touch, allows for orientation and gives the place a high recognition factor. Additional "hot spots" on each floor are the tea kitchens located at the corners of the building as well as meeting rooms and relaxation areas with a home touch.
To translate Archiguards’ concept into the actual situation at hand, it was necessary to establish a clear pattern from the very layout stage: As the whole office floor must be conducive to communication, the different zones and areas had to be designed accordingly. "The ground floor is a hub of communication for clients and staff alike", the architect explains, calling it an "interface between the inside and the outside".
The reception is marked by a bright lime green, a persuasive colour which is engaging and gives a boost at the same time. Further on, a loungescape with comfy armchairs invites visitors opposite a cafeteria. Further in the back, a library has been set up as an outspoken symbol of the company’s steadily growing knowledge base. The architect also lent surprising form to the notion of confidentiality, an essential aspect in the business: A roundish, egg-shaped meeting room shines brightly from behind a curtain, without windows – all in a very secretive mood. An open-air atrium is placed around the centre of the floor, with seminar rooms in the back, and a touch-down area for visitors. Several intimate meeting rooms are arranged around a piazza.
Why not all rooms are equal
Consultancy firm Deloitte’s approach is client-centred. On a three-dimensional level, this creed is reflected in the generous organisation of space. The consultants’ meetings with clients now take place on the ground floor, as opposed to the previous meetings on upper floors. This concept corresponds perfectly with Archiguards’ approach: As Deloitte’s staff receive, entertain and attend to their clients in a "public" area, they rely on an optimal architectural setting, and a perfect stage. Here, the world of Deloitte makes an impact. "Not with pomp and gaudiness, but with openness for new things to come", as "Archiguard" Gerd Zehetner points out.
The previous merger implied a particular challenge for the arrangement of the individual floors – including the back offices and executive offices: To create synergies, different companies’ departments were merged. The occupancy plans were drawn up by the property specialists at Bene Consulting, who also very professionally managed the relocation of a large stock of Deloitte’s previously used furniture. Archiguards’ "floor concept" eventually provided a communicational framework, with major emphasis being placed on meeting space. Traditional ways of working are generally reflected in conventional office forms. Bene’s X9 Programme workstations in the back offices afford an impression of contemporary, pure and reduced design, while Bene’s MK Management Office in cherry wood stands for a solid, yet modern look.
"Why aren’t all rooms simply equal? Because people are different. Because every day is different".
A stylish mini booklet for kids designed by Archiguard provides 15 answers to questions concerning the new Deloitte building in Vienna. Tall questions in a small booklet – an excellent idea to give us simple yet concise insights into the new world of the office, and new living in the office.
