Fotos Oliver Kern Freiburg
SWS ROSSNECKAR ESSLINGEN - CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOP ROOMS
The multifunctional conference center is located on the ground level of an new student hostel. This floor was originally planed for using as student apartments, like all the upper levels. To find a solution for an efficient and flexible organization of conference rooms was the specific challenge. Because of an open and unde-fined user requirement the new conference center should have maximum flexibility and functionality. The whole space should be able to use very omnifarious. That was the topmost ambition of this work.
650sqm offer now enough space for 170 people and contain 6 conference rooms, 2 toilets, 2 storage rooms, 2 lounges, 1 kitchen, 1 welcome desk and a cafeteria with an outdoor space. Mobile walls and huge sliding doors enable multiple con-figurations and different sizes of rooms. The various spaces can be used as con-ference and meeting rooms, as well as lecture halls. And nearly the complete area can be bind together to show an art exhibition or a big multi-room installation. This space is perfectly suitable for all thinkable events in the priority context of business, culture and education.
Exposed concrete, pine tree cladding and visible installations, gives the fitout an industrial charm. The tilted lines and the casual changing wood grain on the wall cladding gives the architecture its individual spirit and unique character. Towards the public areas the new interior is revetted with wooden panels. As calming con-trast the seminar rooms are mainly white. Only some elements are the same in all areas, parts like the baseboard, the switches, the curtains and the heaters are black coloured. In combination with the polishes screed the black accents en-frame the different spaces, and will define additionally the change of materials. The selection of materials supports the multi-functionality and flexibility of this center, the separation between corridors, waiting areas, welcome zone towards the seminar rooms is very clear. And when all rooms are bind together the com-plete space will merge homogenous without losing its distinct architectural atti-tude.
The sensible selected philosophical quotations on the concrete walls bring a kind of timeless romantic and inspiration into the corridors and waiting zones. They could transfer a metaphysical message of this center and its architecture very close to all visitors, students, teachers, presenters, participants, ...