Becker Architects Planners BDA

Ipek is one of the world's leading manufacturers of sewer pipe exploration systems and is based in Kleinwalsertal. After the local production facility in a rented municipal building had reached its capacity limit and an improvement of the connection to the international mobility network was sought, the company management decided to build a new building in the 'Sulzberg Industrial Park' directly at the highway access to the A7.

In the midst of scenic surroundings near the Öschlesee lake, the building site slopes down from a spruce grove in the south by one storey to the north. Instead of the conventional strict separation of the administration and production wings, the two areas are linked by the modular structure of the facility. The alternating addition of 'track' and 'hall' allows flexible expansion at any time. Two axes in the longitudinal direction of the building, one for the material flow from delivery to collection of the finished appliances and the other as a two-storey access corridor for production and administrative staff, form the clear backbone of the pragmatic facility.

The sculptural building formulation with projections and recesses contributes to the small-scale appearance, as does the differentiated diagonal rhythm between glazed and closed façade surfaces on the longitudinal elevations. While the 'tracks' interlock with the topography, the terrain flows practically naturally through the hall areas. The monolithic materialization of core-insulated prefabricated reinforced concrete elements gives the entire ensemble the appearance of a boulder in the landscape.