“Let blue be the color!”

Figure: Robert Mehl

The Bochum Blue Office includes a two-story and a four-story building section

Figure: Robert Mehl

Site plan [1:1,750]

Figure: Robert Mehl

The two-story section is covered with 15.5 m long prestressed-concrete hollow-core slabs

Figure: Robert Mehl

The “forum” separates the four- and two-story building sections from each other. This area accommodates the reception desk and an amphitheater-like space, which is used for events

Figure: Robert Mehl

All columns, including those incorporated in the façade, are precast elements produced in a field factory set up next to the construction site

Figure: Robert Mehl

SSP, an interdisciplinary architectural practice, built its own headquarters near the campus of Bochum Ruhr University. This building features geometrical details arranged in a strictly regular pattern that leave an exceedingly stringent impression.
At the same time, its construction was extremely cost-efficient.

The Bochum-based architectural practice SchürmannSpannel AG (SSP) considers energy-efficient building to be not only about the widespread, inconsiderate use of state-of-the-art technologies and insulation methods. This office has adopted an integrated design strategy concerned with utilizing these options in a thoughtful process. Prior to installation, care must always be taken to examine if project details are cost-effective in the long run and if the intended effect makes a long-term difference in terms of costs, energy savings and CO₂ emissions.

For, in many cases – as SSP shareholder Thomas...