Through the renovation and historic preservation of the former employment office, adesso has awakened a piece of architectural history from its slumber and transformed it into a contemporary work environment, all while showing great respect for the existing structure.
The glass partitions and doors by Goldbach Kirchner blend seamlessly with the building’s style and create a versatile spatial layout.
The building at Maternistraße 17 in Dresden has a turbulent history. Architect Karl Paul Andrae had it built between 1925 and 1926 in the New Objectivity style as the first employment office of the Weimar Republic. The functionality of the “Public Employment Registry” was the primary focus: Visitors were channeled through the offices via two separate entrances and exits. During the GDR era, the building served as the SED’s district party school. The users had it remodeled without regard for the historical value of the existing structure. It was only during the renovation that the original charm was restored. One of the tenants is the publicly traded software company adesso.
Transparent Partitioning
In addition to restoring the building’s original charm, the goal was to create a modern work environment for up to 100 employees across two floors. The open-plan concept is designed to facilitate teamwork by offering seating areas in addition to formal meeting rooms. At the same time, there is the option to work in concentrated focus within separate offices. These different spatial configurations are made possible by the T50 Loft partition system from Goldbach Kirchner. The single-pane glazing with variable partitions in matte black complements the existing lattice windows. Like the former employment office on Maternistraße, the partition system has its design roots in the Bauhaus style. The simple industrial look alludes to the style of Walter Gropius, for whom the Dresden building is said to have served as a model for his famous Dessau Employment Office. With its high sound insulation values of up to 40 decibels, the all-glass T50 Loft partition wall provides acoustic separation while maintaining full transparency. Even interior rooms and hallways are bathed in natural light. Double-leaf aluminum tubular frame doors T30/RS form the light-transmitting fire barrier to the stairwell.
Sustainable Construction
A real eye-catcher is the meeting room, designed as a room-within-a-room solution with a wooden façade. It features all-glass doors and windows from Goldbach Kirchner’s T46 partition system. From the second floor, the green roof is accessible through an aluminum tubular frame door. The materials used in the doors and partitions can be sorted by type, reused, and recycled. This conserves resources and contributes to the sustainability of the entire project. Stylish details such as the linoleum surfaces of the tables are a nod to the building’s era of origin.
In December 2023, the IT service provider adesso SE moved into a new two-story office with 1,700 square meters of office space in the historic building of the “Dresden Public Employment Office.” The revitalization of the 1926 building created a modern work environment based on the New Work concept, featuring 100 workstations within a historic context.