Sustainable, award-winning commercial architecture by 3deluxe

The German Brand Award is a competition organized by the German Brand Institute. This Institute was founded by the German Design Council and the consulting firm GMK Markenberatung in order to strengthen brand management as a critical success factor for companies competing in both the domestic and international markets. The award is intended to act as an economic catalyst in the German brand sector, bringing together the leading brand makers and driving dialogue. With the German Brand Awards, the Institute has created one of the most prestigious prizes in the sector. 
All in all, a very respected award and in 2020 it went to the HARTING Technology Group, headquartered in Espelkamp, Germany. The company picked up the prize in the category “Excellence in Brand Strategy and Creation – Brand Communication – Architecture & Buildings” for the standout architecture designed by the German architecture firm 3deluxe and underpinned by high environmental and social sustainability.
In 2015, HARTING appointed the 3deluxe team to design its new high-tech logistics centre with an attached administration wing. The European Distribution Center (EDC) has been operating since 2019 on an area of 18,000 sqm. It is equipped with an automated small-parts, high-bay warehouse, and a high-speed shuttle and is one of the most innovative logistic centres in Europe. All featuring facades with an aluminium mullion system with solar-controlled insulated glazing.
One of the critical elements of the project is the reduction of its environmental impact. The photovoltaic system on the roof supplies the electricity for the logistics centre. The energy needs for cooling and heating are covered by biomethane produced internally and by a geothermal system that minimizes CO₂ emissions. Here, state-of-the-art logistics technology goes hand in hand with the aesthetically attractive design the need to reduce the new structure’s ecological footprint.
The administrative area accommodates about 60 employees and is characterized by the concept of open workspaces. 3deluxe created an open plan of different work areas across several floors to give HARTING employees a workplace flooded with natural light, in line with the present demands focusing on ergonomics and the wellbeing of employees. The vast expanses of glass foster visual connections and open into the entrance hall. A bistro for employees is part of the offices and has an adjacent outdoor area for al fresco dining.
For the jury of the German Brand Award, the architecture proposed by 3deluxe perfectly expresses the HARTING corporate mission, as we can see in their decision statement: “The EDC impresses with its hypermodern, pleasantly open and light-suffused architecture that offers communicative proximity as well as interesting visual axes over multiple levels. It features a holistically developed architectural design that not only reflects environmental but also social values. The EDC thereby highlights the corporate philosophy in clear fashion while simultaneously demonstrating the company’s technological logistics expertise in an impressive manner.” 

Christiane Bürklein

Project: 3deluxe
Location: Espelkamp, Germany
Year: 2019
Images: 3deluxe