What is so special about this building?

The house at Graben 23, whose medieval wooden structure dates back to 1496, was in acute danger of collapse after decades of neglect and stood empty. It is an important example of medieval carpentry and is a characteristic part of an ensemble at the foot of Trausnitz Castle. Surprisingly, most of the original wooden components, roof truss and even the original wooden joints, beam heads etc. have been preserved. Although our architects are very experienced in the renovation of monuments, the conceptualisation phase proved to be much more difficult than expected. The substance was in an incredibly poor condition.

Why did you decide to renovate an old building and not move into a new one?

Our architectural firm specialises in the renovation of historic buildings, so what could be more obvious than choosing a historic building as our future home? We were able to preserve a log cabin from the Middle Ages that was practically impossible to save.

What were the major challenges in renovating this house?

The actual start of construction was in February 2018. In November 2017, the roof was tiled and covered with foil and additional loads were removed from the house to prevent it from collapsing. Steel beams were installed in the street. Columns were placed on them to prevent the house from falling. During the actual reshaping, the building was lifted up to 75 cm on one side. The spaces between the beams and the remaining layers of plaster as well as the remains of the 17th century masonry were secured and lifted. The roof truss was also largely preserved as planned. It was possible to preserve both the medieval substance and the remodelling from the 17th and 19th centuries. Medieval details were maintained with the help of a restorer and the historic lime coatings and clay layers were consolidated. All windows, doors and stairs that were still usable were repaired. The overall design concept links the different components and construction periods. In November 2018, we moved into the rooms as planned and started operations here with our ten or so employees. The 520-year-old medieval log cabin with former cowshed was professionally renovated after almost thirty years of vacancy and is now full of life again.

Why did you choose STUDIO by Bene as your workplace solution?

The overall concept envisaged a clearly recognisable separation between the existing substance and the current fixtures and fittings. The very modern look of STUDIO by Bene convinced us right from the start. STUDIO by Bene best met our architectural requirements. The contrast between the extremely strong medieval elements that characterise the space (beams/plank ceilings, log walls, clay joints, etc.) and the simple modern furniture perfectly reflects the design concept.

What office space did you have before?

We previously had our office in a former warehouse of a transport company.

What is the difference now?

(Ambience, atmosphere, ...) An interesting question. I actually see more similarities than differences. We always see our spatial environment as something that gives us the ideal spatial shell for our work: Both for intensive communicative exchange within the team, without creating annoying noise, as well as opportunities to retreat for quiet, concentrated individual work. The variety of possible versions of STUDIO by Bene has made it easier for us to combine the characteristically different rooms thematically in such a way that the office reveals an overall design language in all its individual rooms.