Göppingen District Council offices

It was a great outcome for a challenging construction project when the annex of  the Göppingen District Council offices was  opened in spring 2020. A team of experts from Drees & Sommer provided a high level of support to the principal throughout  all phases of the project, making a key contribution to its successful conclusion.

In the first decade of the new millennium, the Göppingen District Council faced a growing need for office space. The situation was compounded by the fact that the existing canteen, meeting and committee rooms, and the chamber for public meetings, no longer met requirements. The council needed a future- proof building that would meet a range of needs – and, of course, at the same  time be a building that served the ̒local community’. 

The result was an extensive construction project that involved demolition of the old building surrounding the district council meeting chamber and the construction of a new four-storey administration building with an underground  level. The Drees & Sommer specialists joined the project at an early stage, undertaking both a feasibility study and an economic feasibility study. Two further contracts were subsequently awarded.

The BSE experts were able to support the principal, for example by clarifying  technical plausibility, establishing important interfaces, and coordinating  electrical replacement planning. At a critical stage in the process, LCM colleagues completely revised the construction schedule, thereby minimizing delays. And Drees & Sommer also worked with the principal during the project planning phase and architectural competition to lay the foundation for Green Building certification.

The intricate demolition of the existing building – including gutting and  waste disposal – proved particularly challenging. The complex subsoil also proved difficult, with rubble, contaminants, and underground connections to established buildings. Electrical planning was also delayed – and last, but not least, the coronavirus pandemic resulted in bottlenecks in the delivery of materials. Thanks to its many years of project experience, the Drees & Sommer team was able to overcome all these challenges. The ‘reward’ for years of personal commitment on the part of the project participants came when the expanded Göppingen District Office was commissioned in April 2020 and the final cost statement showed that – despite all the adverse circumstances – Drees & Sommer had managed to keep the project within the tight budget. But that was not all: In the meantime, the Göppingen District has approached Drees & Sommer with inquiries about other projects.