An office with history: adesso celebrates moving into historic Dresden workspace

At times, it took a great deal of creativity to transform the listed building into a modern office. For example, the right angles and smooth surfaces of the building, which was constructed in the New Objectivity style, had the effect of amplifying sound. A mineral acoustic plaster was therefore applied to the panels to dampen noise and provide a quiet working atmosphere. The cable ducts, on the other hand, could not be attached to the outside of the walls and ceilings, as they would detract from the historical appearance. So they were cut into the floor screed instead. All the colours and materials were also selected for their ability to retain the 1920s flair of the building, with classic Bauhaus lattice windows for office partitions, along with lino-topped desks. The carpets are sisal-effect, as real sisal fibres are impractical due to the office chairs. The result is an office with a unique look that extends over almost 2,000 square metres on two floors and is ideally designed for the concept of New Work. It offers a pleasant environment with open spaces that encourage dialogue and teamwork, as well as more private areas such as small telephone booths and offices where people can work undisturbed.

With adesso moving in, the historic building near the baroque Old Town quarter of Dresden has been given a new lease of life. Built in 1926, it was designed by architect Karl Paul Andrae in the New Objectivity style with expressionist touches. It was the first public labour office in the Weimar Republic, and indeed the whole of Germany. During the era of East Germany, it served as a training centre for the local chapter of the ruling socialist party. At that time, numerous alterations were carried out without regard to the listed building. Now that they have finally been rectified, the original appearance of the building is emerging again for the first time in decades.

“Working together with the client, who is also the landlord, we have managed to breathe new life into the city of Dresden’s former public employment office, which had been largely vacant since 2012,” says Rüdiger Striemer, Professor of Information Systems and Senior Project Manager Corporate Buildings at adesso. “The interior design concept takes the original architecture into account and clearly references the 1920s. In the process, we went far beyond what is usual for listed buildings by painstakingly reproducing the paints and the colours using the original methods, among other things.”

The new office is just a stone’s throw from Dresden’s World Trade Center and is easily accessible by public transport and car. It makes an exceptional workplace and meeting point for employees, customers and partners. The office currently provides 110 workstations, but will be expanded further to create room for growth. After all, as a strong business location and the capital of Saxony, Dresden is home to many public authorities and companies that need support with digitalisation projects.

“As a Dresden resident, I am delighted that we not only have a presence in the heart of Dresden, but also in a building steeped in history,” says Steffen Reichert, who heads up the Dresden office. “Working there is a very special experience, as our partners and customers can see for themselves. Despite the historical nature of the premises, we have been able to apply all of adesso’s standards in terms of office design. There are open spaces for creative exchange and a central location where the workforce can come together, as well as plenty of private spaces for concentrated work.”

adesso’s Dresden address

adesso SE
Maternistraße 17
01067 Dresden
Germany