Festo AG Technology Centre

Abstract

The new Technology Centre of the Festo company in Esslingen near Stuttgart features spacious atria with roofs of pneumatic membrane constructions. The plastic membranes enclose non-air-conditioned conservatories which act as buffer zones and are intrinsic to the energy concept. Originally, the six four-storey glazed office blocks, which spread out like a fan, were to be enclosed in one shell-type, transparent synthetic membrane envelope. At least that is what the competition drawings showed. However, during the course of further planning, the impressive, large-format pneumatic structure shrunk to three separate atria.