Space for communication is no redundant luxury but an essential part of a sustainable building concept.

The new Centre for Free-Electron Laser Science in Hamburg is considered an absolutely state-of-the- art knowledge centre of research into cutting edge light sources. In the entirely circular building, there’s ample room for farsighted perspectives, both in a spatial and in an intellectual sense. The CFEL was designed by the Stuttgart based architectural firm hammeskrause architekten. The architectural concept is based on the creation of rooms for communication, inspiring exchange of knowledge. The central foyer is characteristic in terms of its special geometry: around a spherical triangle, office levels rotate, linked by bridge-like staircases. On the upper floors, working rooms and cubicles are grouped around open work spaces. On the ground floor, seminar rooms, laser measuring rooms, and the cafeteria are grouped around the foyer and two atria.

The furniture had to fulfil high expectations. The architects were looking for functional furniture for different areas, sporting a design matching the special CFEL architecture. With Brunner, they found ideal solutions, sporting a consistent line: noble white, with dark throughliner upholstery, that’s how fina sled-base chairs provide attractive seating in the seminar rooms. Meeting rooms and work spaces in the open zones are equipped with slim fina swivel chairs. Together with a circular series 3000 stand-up table, the delicate barstool fina bar creates a relaxed atmosphere at the meeting points. Communication is a prime goal in the cafeteria as well. In the interior, elegant white fina sled-base chairs combined with a straight version of series 3000 tables provide an atmosphere conducive to communication. Outside, futuristic-looking chair salsa extends its invitation to take a break.