Astounding architecture: the spectacular new BORA building at the Herford site (Architectural Press)
BORA is committed to innovative kitchen solutions and questioning the norm. All of the premium built-in kitchen appliances from the company based in Raubling, Bavaria, are characterised by innovative technology and impressive design standards. The company buildings also reflect this philosophy: a long way from standardised industrial production facilities or conventional office buildings, pioneering architectural designs of great significance are created in the name of BORA. And this is once again the case with the company’s new site in Herford, the East Westphalian heart of the German kitchen furniture industry. From mid-September, a seemingly floating, dramatically sloping building constructed from a mixture of steel and glass will make the brand and product-experience world as well as the ‘BORA principle’ accessible to visitors in a plethora of ways. The building was designed by the Austrian architectural firm LORENZATELIERS, which has already designed iconic architecture for BORA at a number of other sites.
Already visible from afar, the new BORA building rises into the sky at the edge of Herford. As a 100-metre-long and 13.5-metre-high steel and glass wing, the new-build on slender steel supports seems to float on air. The dynamic feel of this architecture is simply breathtaking, especially when gazing up at the south-facing, overhanging façade with a 42-degree gradient that looks out onto the adjacent main road.
Ahead of its time and unlike anything before it – these were company founder Willi Bruckbauer’s wishes for the new building in Herford. He decided not to announce an architectural competition and instead contacted Peter Lorenz, with whom he had already implemented a number of exciting construction projects, stating: “Impress me with a proposal for a design unlike any other in the world.” The architect, who runs the firm LORENZATELIERS in Vienna, Innsbruck and Trieste, and with whom Bruckbauer had already designed the BORA site in Niederndorf (AT) and the BORA office in Raubling (DE), accepted the challenge. “Nothing motivates me more than the opportunity to create unconventional solutions instead of everyday architecture while enjoying the trust of a courageous client,” commented Peter Lorenz.
From the ten proposals that he presented for the new building in Herford, the wing-shaped building that is now visible from the B 239 motorway on the edge of the city was ultimately selected as the favourite. The architectural message perfectly expresses the core of the BORA brand: entrepreneurial courage and a high level of innovation in order to design extraordinary products for extraordinary cooking experiences.
Architecture as an experience: a distinctive shape and a vibrant building envelope firmly anchor BORA to its new site
The highly demanding technical design is based on a support structure comprising a ten-metre-high, diamond-shaped steel frame with rounded corners, which appears to float about three metres above the ground. The resulting almost 100-metre-long building is surrounded by a façade comprised of galvanised steel panels perforated with a range of hole sizes and partially coloured glass panels that give the building its rhythmic appearance and high-tech feel. Wide-ranging views both from and into the building are deliberately provided – the partial transparency of the façade reflects the desire to connect the building with its environment and to enable dialogue between passers-by and those inside. Lorenz’s design principle of creating readable architecture where the steel structure is visible corresponds precisely to BORA’s philosophy. In the interior in particular, the huge steel girders from South Tyrol have purposefully been left visible rather than cladded.
A team of engineers from Werkraum Ingenieure performed in-depth analyses of the deformations to the support structure under various load situations and reported their findings to the executing companies. The maximum deformation of 130 mm on the edge of the diamond could be offset by cambering the workshop form. The tolerances of the main works, concrete, steel and façade construction, were aligned through exemplary cooperation.
The horizontal displacement in the façade area posed a challenge for those involved during the detailing process. One unique highlight, in the literal sense of the word, is therefore the convertible roof: in fine weather, two large, retractable roof panels, each measuring 63 square metres, create a spectacular spatial experience directly above the lounge and restaurant area – with practically no noise disturbance from the thousands of vehicles driving past. The indoor area can therefore be transformed into a light-flooded outdoor space whenever desired. “There is no larger retractable roof in Germany,” explains architect Peter Lorenz. “The size, structural design and movements made creating the roof a genuine challenge, which is one of the reasons why it wasn’t just us architects and planners, but also the executing companies that found this structure so ambitious.” For example, it was only possible to find one single company that was prepared to join the expedition into the unknown when creating the planned convertible roof.
The open-plan space concept with reclining windows and carefully optimised interior materials, to which Willi Bruckbauer paid particular attention as a qualified joiner, promise a suitable setting for a comprehensive product and brand experience. The new building at the Herford site will be accessible to visitors from mid-September 2023 as a permanent showroom for BORA. BORA’s latest products can be presented by means of Live Cooking events. With two levels and an area of around 2,000 square metres, the new building houses the BORA Flagship Store, a show kitchen, exhibition spaces for partners and a restaurant.
Committed to sustainability: the building is equipped with sophisticated technology and surrounded by greenery
The 80 parking spaces under the BORA wing, which protects the vehicles from the elements, makes it possible to maximise the unsealed area and thus create green space that pays heed to neighbours' wishes. As at other BORA sites, various electric charging stations are also available here. Willi Bruckbauer is committed to keeping the ecological footprint of his new-build to a minimum. “Our new site is primarily being constructed by companies and trades from the Herford and East Westphalia areas.”
The energy concept is tailored to the specific use of the building. Thanks to the use of renewable energies by means of geothermal resources (heat exchangers and deep boreholes) and the coverage of most of the roof with photovoltaic modules – except in the convertible roof area – the building complies with the KfW 55 standard. This 100 kWp photovoltaic system supplies the building with electricity. The thermal energy requirement is met through the combination of heat pumps and twenty 130 m depth probes. This enables free air conditioning throughout most of the year. The water from the 200-cubic-metre sprinkler tank installed on the site can be used as a thermal store to cover peak loads in both summer and winter.
The entire building can be mechanically ventilated and aerated using heat recovery. The supply air is fed into the rooms through source inlets in the floor. CO2 sensors automatically minimise air exchange. In the transition periods, the exhibition area can be ventilated via the façade. Fast-reacting, all-over heating and cooling panels in the ceilings enable the interior to be heated and air conditioned. Combining the energy transfer systems results in a high level of thermal comfort together with maximum energy efficiency. Depending on its usage, the BORA building in Herford will be a ‘nearly zero-energy building’ (NZEB).
BORA Herford building fact sheet
Length: 95m
Height: 13.5m
Construction project area: approx. 2,000 m2
Plot area: approx. 10,000 m2
Construction type: steel structure with prestressed concrete elements
Exterior façade: galvanised, perforated sheet metal
Groundbreaking ceremony: March 2022
Opening: September 2023
About the company BORA develops and sells premium built-in kitchen appliances with impressive design standards. In doing so, it pursues the vision of ‘The End of Normal’. Since Willi Bruckbauer founded the company in Raubling, Upper Bavaria, in 2007, BORA has been committed to revolutionising the kitchen as a living space by questioning the ordinary. Its mission: to offer extraordinary products for extraordinary experiences. The story began with the innovative cooktop extractor systems, which heralded the end of the extractor hood by using patented technology to draw vapours downwards. Over the years, BORA has expanded its product range to include additional appliances such as the BORA X BO professional steam oven for your home and the BORA multi-drawer. All BORA products are characterised by innovative technology combined with premium design and intuitive operation. With sites in Raubling, Niederndorf and Sydney and a flagship store in Munich, BORA now employs 550 people and sells its products in 60 countries worldwide.
Back in 2009, the company received its first award within the scope of the innovation contest 365 Orte im Land der Ideen, followed by the Deutscher Gründerpreis, Red Dot Awards, Plus X Awards, German Design Awards, Iconic Award, German Brand Award, Good Design Awards and iF Design Awards, among others.
For further information, please visit bora.com
Contacts for press enquiries about BORA
neumann communication Communication partner in relation to the opening of BORA’s Hereford site bora@neumann-communication.de
BORA Public Relations pr@bora.com
BORA Vertriebs GmbH & Co KG Innstrasse 1 A-6342 Niederndorf
