Bronze Winner of the Architecture & Design Collection Awards 2024

Falstaff Headquarter

Interior
Office Design
Completed
Professional Category

Architect / Designer:

Armin Ebner

Studio:

BEHF Architects

Copyright:

Michael Königshofer

Country:

Austria

The new headquarters for Falstaff Verlag: gourmet journalism in a historic bank building

In the search for a new joint location for the company divisions based in Vienna, Falstaff found what they were looking for in the former headquarters of Creditanstalt-Bankverein – now called “Haus am Schottentor” – at Schottengasse 6-8. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1912 as the headquarters of the Wiener Bankverein according to a design by architects Ernst Gotthilf and Alexander Neumann. It served as a bank headquarters until 2017 and after the space became vacant, a new concept of use was developed.

The company headquarters are located on the second floor, with the offices extending over the entire length of the wing on Schottenring and two thirds of the length of the wing on Heßgasse. They offer space for around 100 employees. The architectural concept is designed to create a clear, linear axial structure that harmoniously unites the different areas. The space is divided into clearly defined zones along these axes.

While the work areas are restrained, the “points of interest” stand out with their accentuated design. The reception, the tasting area, the meeting room, the library and the toilets are among the highlights. The soft, rounded design language of these special areas contrasts with the rest of the linear structure, crafting a dramaturgically dynamic sequence of rooms. This creates a clear use of space and at the same time underlines the functionality and aesthetics of the office.

The design of the “points of interest” emphasizes the identity of the publishing house and offers inspiring spaces for employees and visitors to experience the themes of the publishing house – culinary, travel and design. The central design elements are white furniture fronts, some of which have a perforated pattern that echoes the acoustic ceilings of the corridors. Rose-colored mirrors on the walls and ceilings, office partitions in glass with bordeaux-red profiles and the carpet in a specially designed pattern to match the color concept create a clear, bright and warm atmosphere.

An 8.5 meter long and 2-meter-high video wall dynamically conveys the Falstaff world of enjoyment. The screen connects the two wings and symbolizes the publishing house’s transformation process into the digital age.
Further accents are set by the art of Billie Thanner and Eva Schlegel, which is used in the right places – including in the stairwell, at reception, in the tasting area and in the meeting room.

BEHF Architects

Established in 1995, BEHF Architects is an architectural office based in Vienna that has achieved international acclaim. It is headed by Armin Ebner, Susi Hasenauer and Stephan Ferenczy. With about 80 employees, it is one of Austria’s largest and most efficient architectural offices.

BEHF Architects seeks to improve the built environment by bringing together innovative design strategies and energy-saving, cost-effective solutions tailored to both site resources and user. We are an experienced team of architects, planners, interior designers and strategic minds, responsible for the overall project stages, from the initial strategy and start of the design through all planning phases to the completion.

We encourage designers and architects to share their best projects with the rest of the world so as to inspire the next generation and gain global recognition.