Office Landscape as Future Hub
HOFER ALPHA Retail Network
The advent of a new world of work: A former production facility was transformed into a unique office landscape for collaborative cooperation and innovative ideas in line with the principle of Activity Based Working.
“ALPHA Retail Network” is a laboratory for the future and the new, vibrant, and innovative heart of the retailing giant HOFER. We applied the principle of Activity Based Working in order to transform an existing 23,000 m² hall in Eberstalzell into an interactive and collaborative campus with state-of-the-art workspaces and creative zones for teaching and learning. The close cooperation with another local institution, the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, is leading to cooperative exchange between research and business
Set against the background of the growing scarcity of land, accompanying such a creative and responsible repurposing project and, as a result, conserving so many natural resources is a fantastic challenge for us as architects and engineers. The integrated cooperation of all participants enabled us to successfully realize this symbiosis of old and new.
Robert Kelca
Architect, Managing Director in Innsbruck
New Ways of Working
The functionality of the open office concept is underpinned by the Activity Based Working approach, which puts the focus on people and their needs. Our central idea was to offer a range of different working areas, spaces, and zones throughout the building. Depending upon their specific task, general activity, or current needs, employees can repeatedly move on to the ideal workspace in an appropriately supportive environment.
Agreeable interior climate
In order to ensure interior comfort, we developed the building services concept in partnership with ATP sustain and on the basis of an examination of the existing building, detailed surveys, and a building simulation. Originally built using passive house principles in 2006, the existing hall offered a solid infrastructure. We expanded this and upgraded it to meet the latest standards: A dedicated geothermal store located below the floorplate is heated by solar energy in summer in readiness for the winter. Large-scale natural night ventilation provides summer cooling.
Ausdrucksstarke Architektursprache
Unter dem sieben Meter hohen Sheddach erstreckt sich eine mit echten Bäumen großzügig bepflanzte, imposante Aula sowie eine weitläufige, interaktive Bürozone. Sowohl Einzelarbeitsplätze und Fokusräume für konzentriertes Arbeiten oder Teambereiche für Kommunikation und Zusammenarbeit als auch Orte für Regeneration stehen frei zur Verfügung. Wie „Hügel” gliedern und zonieren die hell und innovativ gestalteten Besprechungsräume die weitläufige Halle, in der auf halber Höhe scheinbar schwerelose Schiffe aus einer Holz-Stahlkonstruktion schweben.
