Architects Schmidt Hammer Lassen has converted a former factory in Kolding into an educational centre using Dinesen Oak and Douglas.
School — Kolding, Denmark
Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
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Douglas Classic
Thickness 28 mm. Width 300 mm. Length 2-5 m
Finish Lye and White Oil
Oak Natural
Thickness 30 mm. Width 130-160-200-225-250 mm. Length 1.2-5 m
Finish Natural Oil
In 1976, the wood preservation manufacturer GORI opened its new factory. The world-re-nowned French artist Jean Dewasne decorated the 18 large production tanks in the production facility that formed the heart of the building and the enterprise. In the surrounding areas, badminton courts and ping pong tables were put up for all the employees to use.
GORI’s management was convinced that an open and creative environment promotes efficiency. After 30 years serving as the headquarters of GORI, the building was acquired by IBC International Business College in 2010. The architectural firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen was given the assignment of converting the former factory to an educational centre.
True to the original concept, innovation and creativity were key considerations in the conversion of the former headquarters, which IBC named the Innovation Factory.
In the centre of the building, the architects created a new two-storey element that breaks free from the existing architecture and creates a new framework. An elegant combination of Dinesen Oak Natural and Dinesen Douglas serves to define the individual functions.
In areas that encourage physical activity, such as the large recreational space and the walking areas, the flooring is made of Dinesen Oak Natural – and here, the badminton court has been re-established. Dinesen Douglas is used in lounges and auditoriums and for cladding and planters.
