German Design Award 2024

Award for the headquarters of CERATIZIT Austria

The new headquarters of CERATIZIT Austria, with its high-tech production and modern office and logistics areas convinces visitors with its generous and natural design: Inspired by the surrounding craggy peaks and wooded slopes, the 220-meter-long building with the stone base and timber facade merges subtly into the alpine landscape. Spaces filled with daylight and the widespread use of natural materials – particularly timber – enhance the agreeable working atmosphere within the complex. The visible loadbearing structure of local spruce ensures the optimal use of the space. The offices take the form of “floating timber boxes” that hang from the huge joints of the timber truss and offer broad views of the bright, open-plan production hall, whose reduced architectural language reinforces the functional atmosphere.

Green factory
The design reflects both the corporate objectives of CERATIZIT and the ATP Green Deal by paying particular attention to sustainability, energy efficiency, and environmental impact: The building is partly heated by the warmth given off by the machinery and largely cooled by the thermal use of the water draining down the slope. By diverting excess water to the area of greenery at the northern end of the site it was also possible to reinvigorate a dried-out biotope. The extensive planting of the roof of almost 15,000 m2 has both improved the microclimate and reduced energy demand. A large PV plant supplies the building with green electricity.

The German Design Award honors innovative projects that play a pioneering role in both the German and international design landscapes. It evaluates such aspects as the overall concept, degree of innovation, durability, and ecological and technical quality. The prestigious prize is awarded by the German Design Council, a competence center in the area of design, brands, and innovation. The award for the headquarters of CERATIZIT Austria is ATP’s fifth German Design Award, following the IWC Manufacturing Center (2022), Markas HQ (2021), HOFER ALPHA Retail Network (2020), and OMV Office Building (2019).

