Bechtle Schweiz AG expands German-speaking base in Mägenwil
Mägenwil, 15 April 2021 – Bechtle Schweiz AG has broken ground on the expansion of its Mägenwil site, which will add modern, future-oriented office space for 150 people no seven years after the company’s first moving into the premises. The IT service provider will thus have a total of some 270 desks at its headquarters.
Mägenwil in Switzerland’s canton of Aargau has been home to Bechtle Schweiz AG’s administrative backbone since 2019, delivering all central services for the cross-country IT system house. In order to accommodate its projected headcount and substantial development of activities, the company has decided to take prompt action on expanding its Mägenwil site. Provisions for such an expansion have already been made during the planning stages for the existing building, which has been in use since the spring of 2014, allowing for a significant increase in office space without the need to acquire more land.
“It is very important to us that we’re able to inject the lessons we have learned throughout the pandemic into our plans. The office cannot just be a room around desks, but will have to play a particular role in catering to employees’ social needs. Collaboration, creativity and the ability to work on projects in varying teams will all gain in importance,” says Christian Speck, Managing Director, Bechtle Schweiz AG.
His peer, Roger Suter, adds: “We’ll be needing fewer small offices, and more room for creative huddles, as well as telephone and video conferences. We’ll need to create a pleasant ambience with natural lighting, outward-facing windows and advanced ventilation systems. Attractive outdoor areas and facilities such as break rooms, e-bike parking racks, charging points for electric vehicles, showers and changing rooms for those cycling to work will all contribute to employees wanting to see their colleagues again in the office.”
Planning
Blueprints for the original building were designed to make efficient use of the plot, with an expansion pencilled in above the current parking deck.
This strategy was key for developing today’s expansion project that will see a new office wing adding space for 150 additional employees, various smaller and larger meeting rooms, two large cafeterias, as well as multi-purpose rooms. The extension will effectively increase the premises in Mägenwil by 3,500 m2 of additional floor space, bringing the site to a total of around 6,000 m2 of office space. The new building will be largely accessible from the original section via stairs and elevators. Vice versa, this means existing infrastructure will also be accessible from the expansion building.
Modern workplace management
The floor plan is designed to enable a highly flexible use of the available office space. For instance, non-bearing and lightweight wall panels allow for modern workplace management with fixed desks and hot desks. Soft carpet flooring ensures good acoustics inside the rooms, as do effectively positioned, hung cooling ceilings.
Green energy concept
The existing energy concept, which is already designed to be highly efficient and eco-friendly will also be enhanced, including additional ground-source heat pumps to cover the increased need for heating, while cooling will be achieved through special ceilings in every room. In addition, the main roof will be upgraded with a photovoltaic system designed to generate 25 kilowatts peak (kWp) that will be fed to employees’ electric cars and bicycles.
Construction work is scheduled to begin on 3 May 2021. The project is overseen by Bele Architekten + Partner GmbH.
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Photo: Bechtle Schweiz AG has broken ground on the expansion of its Mägenwil site.