Tax authority and canteen in Reutlingen

An old factory where sieves for papermaking were produced was to be converted into a tax office. As one part of the old factory building had become unusable, it was decided to demolish it while keeping the historical façade. The complex stands in a district dating from around 1900.

The tax office consists of three parts: a new building with its main wing oriented towards the city square in front of it; the multi-storey old building, which accommodated the other half of the administrative premises; and a canteen, which makes use of the heritage-protected façade oriented towards the street.

The part of the building which is visible from a distance received a cladding of dark grey bricks, while the rear parts were only insulated and covered with white rendering due to financial constraints. On the other hand, the canteen’s new façades have been constructed of wood.

For the new structures, we aimed for the first time to work using building elements with high thermal inertia, by and large eschewing glass façades. The entrance hall is therefore quite closed-in. Relatively small window openings serve to bring in light over the plastered interior walls and parapets. People enter the hall through small and dark vestibules set to the side, which heighten the impression of light in the lofty space.

The positive experiences regarding durability, low maintenance and favourable performance in summertime temperatures gave us reason to use the same principles of construction again – in improved form – on subsequent buildings.