When Continental outgrew its original headquarters, the company chose to relocate to a new build in Hanover’s city forest. The building complex was opened in December 2023 following a five-year construction period, and offers a new work environment for around 2,400 employees from the corporate functions, Tires and ContiTech divisions. We were responsible for designing the work areas, the restaurant and the cafeterias. We translated Continental’s values into a spacious and differentiated work world, which fulfils its requirements for agility and a strong identity in equal measure. With this flexible and modular spatial concept, Continental can continue to remain agile long into the future.

Continental is using its new campus to focus on networking, flexible collaboration and communication across departmental boundaries. The complex, which was designed by HENN, connects two buildings, separated by an eight-lane road, via a 71-metre-long bridge. The Loop – visible from inside and outside the building as a Continental-yellow band – links an array of spatial typologies with each other. We continue this idea in developing the work worlds, by moving all central routes to the outside along the façade. The result is a large, compact area covering almost the entire depth of the building, which various freestanding modules divide into manageable and tangible neighbourhoods. This allows a landscape of different workplace typologies to unfold: from dynamic places of exchange and encounter to places of concentrated work and retreat. The individual islands keep a generous distance from their neighbours, enabling new and surprising lines of sight to the outside to emerge. The walkways are orientated in such a way that they always lead to a destination, be it a communication locus or a view out into nature.

In order to respond as flexibly as possible to the requirements of individual departments and areas, we developed a proprietary room-in-room system. These modular boxes are available in various configurations, in different sizes and with differing features: from telephone boxes to large conference rooms. No matter which function they serve: All boxes offer a excellent sound insulation to the outside and silent ventilation to the inside, thus ensuring excellent working conditions.

Modes of work are permanently changing, to which we respond with flexible spatial concepts. The constructive design of Continental’s work worlds therefore reduces the need for structural interventions to a minimum. Instead, the aim is to adapt the office environment to new requirements through minimally invasive interventions. Continental’s sustainability aspirations are also future-oriented, with the campus aiming for ‘DGNB Platinum’ status. Vegan leather, a Continental product, is used and the thermal component activation of the ceiling ensures optimum energy efficiency.