News / Detail

Country: Leipzig, Germany 
Architect: acme, London, GB / Berlin, DE
Category: Administration 
Status, Year: realised, 2021
Photos: (c) Faruk Pinjo 

In the forest of columns 

Next to Leipzig's main railway station, a forest of 251 columns of the Sächsische Aufbaubank (SAB) stretches out in an irregular distribution. The grid of the arrangement shows a dense and at the same time diverging forest. The curved glass façade on the building blurs the boundary between outside and inside. 
The transparency of the envelope plays a major role and is reflected in the interior of the building. It radiates an integrated, technical solution and allows an open and light impression into the interior. 

The slender and intriguing high columns on the outside serve as a vertical element of order and show the way to the inside of the building. This view is valid by day as well as by night. A varied working landscape with daylight and ever-changing viewing conditions has been created. 

In the bicycle area, the forest landscape of the columns on the forecourt is reflected by the round luminaires on the concrete ceiling. This concept with round details can be found again and again inside the building.

The complement to daylight 

In all areas inside and outside the SAB Bank, Bartenbach planned and implemented a supplementary artificial lighting design in addition to daylight. 

Starting with the forecourt, the narrow, towering columns, reminiscent of a forest, were fitted with small integrated luminaires. These show the path towards the building with a moonlight effect, which becomes visible at dusk and in the evening. During the day, it is reminiscent of a forest clearing, with changing shadows caused by the sun's rays. 

The further entrance area is a public space where there is no hierarchy. A privacy screen has been installed that blends in with the architecture and hides the lorry delivery and waiting area. 

Daylight flows into the interior of the building. Thus, on the ground floor, the registration desk recedes discreetly into the background. The counter of the registration desk is selectively illuminated by minimal art, with the bank's logo in the background. 

The Acoustic PAD

Combining light and acoustics. That was the goal behind this idea. A round acoustic pad was developed. Acoustic materials were used, which react directly as well as indirectly to the environment. 

In addition, the acoustic PADS were illuminated with LFO technology from Bartenbach. The integrated lights above the acoustic PADS can be individually controlled. The colour temperature adjusts according to the course of the day and the weather situation outside, giving a unique reference to the outside and the feeling of being surrounded by daylight.  

Due to the very reduced materials used, the Acoustic PAD fits perfectly into the room design. 

The artificial lighting design 

In the artificial lighting design, artificial light was added to the existing daylight in all areas. It was planned with a light colour between 2200 and 4200 Kelvin. Since the intention was to convey the reference to the outside, a white light was planned over the ceilings, which gives the feeling of daylight. 

In the corridors, down lights with light distributions were integrated into the ceilings in consultation with the architects in order to create an invisible light line for routing. 

Wavy glass surfaces in meeting rooms create maximum transparency and are open to view when not in use. When the rooms are in use, privacy can be created by a thick and solid curtain. The special feature here is that a light strip runs along the curtain rail and provides minimal illumination of the closed curtain. 

Here you can find your contact person: 
Robert Müller
Mail: robert.mueller@bartenbach.com