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For the Dublin office of software company SAP, Bucholz McEvoy Architects kept both employees and the environment in mind

Joseph Dennis Kelly II -- Interior Design, 2/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

When Bucholz McEvoy Architects was hired to design an office for the European and U.S. service and support center of German software company SAP, the firm plunged into the project. Both Bucholz McEvoy and the site in question, a brand-new spec building, were located in Dublin, but project architects packed their bags for Waldorf, Germany, where SAP is headquartered, at least half a dozen times. These visits gave BMA—a firm that's been establishing an international reputation for innovative solutions with natural materials—a better understanding of SAP's needs. Drawing on this experience, the team identified four requirements for the SAP plan: ambient, nonglaring light sources; a quiet, serene atmosphere; visually private yet clustered work spaces; and contemplative, unorthodox breakout areas. The result is a building that functions as a machine while simultaneously boasting an interior environment of striking grace—a much needed component for employees who, staring endlessly at computer screens, are intensely engaged in resolving advanced technological glitches in cryptic software languages.

As coprincipal Merritt Bucholz explains, BMA started by engineering the environmental elements needed to operate the building, a steel-frame, stone-clad, two-story structure of 50,000 square feet distributed in an E shape. "Temperatures in Ireland never go above 70 degrees Fahrenheit in summer nor below 35 degrees in winter," Bucholz says, explaining the reason for eliminating air-conditioning systems from the plan. This decision enabled the firm to cut costs for mechanical and electrical equipment by nearly 30 percent (slightly over 15 percent of the total budget). The surplus went to develop passive cooling. The team used computer simulations to predict annual heat gains and study the effects of wind, light, humidity, and temperature on the proposed design. Structural and mechanical-engineering consultants then modified the facade to function as a ventilation system. Motorized shades and windows now help control temperature, light, and humidity while meeting stringent self-imposed environmental standards. The second story's cathedral ceiling also plays a role, with a long electronically controlled vent that opens to cool the building in summer. When the vent is closed in winter, the cathedral ceiling captures heat, supporting SAP's mechanical heating system.

BMA payed equal attention to the interior environment, demonstrating distinction and artistry in the deployment of linen and hardwoods as well as lighting. Woven-aluminum fabric blinds adjust to diffuse glaring sunlight and distribute it evenly throughout the interior. In the open-plan work spaces, up-lights designed by BMA radiate against ceilings of coated fiberglass mesh that turn glare into glow.

In addition to carpet, linen-clad partial-height partitions and workstation screens contribute to the effort to absorb sound, as acoustical privacy is a key consideration in a professional environment where staff members are often simultaneously working with clients over the telephone to solve complex problems. BMA also addressed the issue of visual privacy. Workstations are grouped to facilitate team collaboration when necessary, but they're carefully positioned in slightly offset clusters to minimize distractions.

In the breakout areas, linen-clad walls subtly reflect the subdued orange and yellow tints accenting the adjoining support and circulation areas. Walnut benches, designed by BMA, invite recreational use. Screens of linen on ash frames add engaging complexity. "Texture was important in the SAP design," Bucholz says. "So was inviting tactile enjoyment and providing a variety of surfaces that fill the space with a sense of nature." To divide breakout areas from work areas, BMA even included partial-height "green walls," clad with bamboo wallpaper on the side facing the breakout area and adorned on the opposite side with artificial flowers mounted on steel brackets. Beneath the flowers, planter boxes support a thriving crop of actual bamboo and asparagus.