Lehmann, Tabillion & Castorph Architektur Stadtplanung

Description

A showroom shared by the companies ERCO and JUNG has opened in a listed building housing a bachelors’ residence (Ledingenheim) – a rare example of Munich modernism. The commercial use of the ground floor was already incorporated into architect Theodor Fischer’s original design as a way to cross-subsidise the affordable flats on the upper floors and integrate the building into the neighbourhood. After the bank that had occupied the premises ever since the building’s opening in 1927 moved out, a concept was developed in close consultation with the heritage conservation authorities to reveal the original spatial structure of the space while respectfully modernising the building fabric. White walls, discreet built-in elements and a new terrazzo floor echo the building’s era of origin. The design of the showroom unites the identities of the two brands in a coherent overall concept: the entrance has been opened up to accommodate a café and lounge, whilst the mock-up area can be darkened with a floor-to-ceiling curtain to bring lighting moods to life and serve as a stage for events. The lighting follows ERCO’s guiding principle of «light instead of lamps» and presents the company’s product range and ceiling-high display cabinet in an almost museum-like setting. Descending the staircase, one then enters a Bavarian landscape composed of pictograms of the town of Isny by Otl Aicher, who continues to shape ERCO’s identity to this day. The highlight in the basement is a relic from the previous tenant – the vault, now reinterpreted as a treasury for products from ERCO and JUNG.