Luxcontrol Headquarters, Esch-sur-Alzette (LUX)

project New construction of the administration and office building as the headquarters of Luxcontrol Belval client Luxcontrol S.A., Esch-sur-Alzette (LUX) architecture / interior design HOAI LPH 1-9 WW+, Esch-sur-Alzette / Wasserbillig (LUX /GER) structural engineering Schroeder & Associés, Luxembourg (LUX) technical engineering Felgen & Associés S.A., Luxembourg (LUX)  control office Luxcontrol SA, Esch-sur-Alzette (LUX) project management Pass Ingenierie sàrl, Dudelange (LUX) gfa 11.438 m² ufa 9.794 m² gv 46.781 m³ total area 0,22 ha planning 06/2019 - 04/2021 realisation 10/2021 - 09/2024

Design

The new office building of Luxcontrol SA consists of a total of eight floors, two of which are underground. The building is entered from the south side via the Boulevard des Lumières. The entrance area is designed to be open and spacious. Adjacent to the foyer, which includes the reception and a back-office area, are three large meeting rooms. In addition, the ground floor accommodates a generous area for a catering establishment as well as an externally rentable space on the north side.

The building contains two staircases: one on the south side, directly in the entrance area, and the other in the western part of the building, serving as a secondary entrance and second emergency exit. In close proximity are the staircases leading to the basement levels, which are separated for fire safety reasons. All upper floors can be accessed via the bright and openly designed main staircase. The staircases are three-flight stairs that wrap around an elevator core, forming the vertical circulation of the entire building.

Floors one to five are dedicated exclusively to office use. The offices are arranged along the façade, while the central zone accommodates meeting rooms, silent rooms, and archives. On the south side, connected to the façade, so-called communication zones are located, which can be used by employees as break areas, coffee lounges, or simply as spaces for informal conversations. On three floors, additional communication zones are located on the north side of the building, with access to a roof terrace.

The sanitary facilities are connected to and accessible from the staircases. From a design perspective, the existing layout is used to keep the floor plans consistent while working with different color themes on each level. To create a pleasant working environment, colors associated with positive qualities were selected. These were chosen and applied to the floors based on principles of color theory and relevant literature. Walls and ceilings remain predominantly white, while the colors are applied to the floor surfaces; the materiality remains the same on each floor.

The two basement levels house the underground parking garage for Luxcontrol’s vehicle fleet, technical rooms, and, in the first basement level, an area with various storage rooms, showers and changing rooms, smaller workspaces, and a materials distribution area.

Ground Floor Concept

As requested by many Luxcontrol employees, the entrance area of the building is designed to be very bright and open. With a large glass façade and a ceiling height of 4.0 m, the foyer becomes the new representative reception area.

Upon entering the building, one proceeds directly toward the staircase. To the right is access to the catering area, and to the left is the reception desk. Behind it, a back-office area is arranged for employees, allowing them to work without disturbance, as well as a first-aid room. The three large meeting rooms are located on the western side of the building. They can be combined into a large event space by means of folding walls. A green wall containing the Luxcontrol logo is to be installed on the large wall in the foyer. Thanks to the glass façade, this will also serve as an eye-catcher from the outside.

Circulation

The staircase forms the vertical circulation of the entire building. The main staircase is accessible via the foyer and connects the ground floor with the fifth floor. It is a three-flight staircase that wraps around the elevator core. Windows on the landings allow natural light to enter the interior, making the staircase a bright and welcoming space that encourages movement between floors on foot. The elevators serve the basement levels; the corresponding staircases are located in close proximity on the ground floor with separate access points to ensure optimal fire safety. To emphasize the connection between the floors, neither materials nor colors change within the staircase; instead, it maintains a uniform design throughout the entire building.

Spatial Concept

Luxcontrol’s offices are located on floors one through five. They are arranged along the façade so that every workstation receives natural light. Raised floors are installed throughout all office levels, allowing all building services to be concealed within the floors. Along the façade, the ceiling is constructed with activated building components, plastered and painted white. This allows a clear room height of 3.0 m to be maintained. The central zone features a suspended ceiling made of Heradesign panels at a height of 2.6 m, above which, among other things, ventilation ducts are routed.

In the central zone on floors 1–4, meeting rooms, silent rooms, and corridor areas for potential greenery or exhibitions are located. On some floors, the meeting rooms can be subdivided using mobile partition walls, allowing the spaces to be flexibly and quickly adjusted in size for groups of 4 to 12 people. The silent rooms are planned using a room-within-a-room system.