The new space plan also fundamentally changes the way the district administration works with the community: efficiency, empathy and clear structures are at the heart of it. The vehicle registration office, the psychological advice center, and the job center will be combined under one roof at the future branch office in Mühlacker.

“We provide all kinds of assistance to the community. This is why we are creating an environment that is fit for the future, meets the requirements of modern administration management and satisfies the needs of the people,“ says district administrator Bastian Rosenau.

With People for People

However, a future-proof working environment does not emerge by accident, but is shaped by joint effort. Drees & Sommer provided support to the Enz district from the start of the project with a user-centered approach. The first, and most important, stage was the evaluation of needs. The project was managed by Daniela Heine who heads the area of public administration, education, science and research at Drees & Sommer. The ‘new work’ expert and her team assessed the requirements and challenges of the employees. “The active involvement of our staff members in the process is key to the assessment of needs. This approach enables us to gain a deep understanding of the specific requirements on site,” explains the engineer. The results are directly incorporated in the extended handling, planning and design concept on which the approach to customized spaces and workplace solutions is based. In addition, it serves as a guideline for future new construction and alteration projects of the Enz district.

For the analyses, functionality was not the only important thing, but also the atmosphere of the areas occupied by the staff and the community. With responsible use of resources and a commercially well thought-out approach, the designers came up with a space concept that motivates and invites. Daniela Heine comments: “Clear, friendly and down-to-earth – by simple means we can make a great impact.”

The Three Zones Model: from Public Reception Areas to Focus Spaces

The redesign project is based on the tried and tested ‘three zones model’, which divides the space of the administration building into a public, a semi-public and internal area – suitable to meet the different requirements of citizens and employees. The public area is the central point of contact for the community. It has an open design that creates transparency as well as helping visitors to orient themselves. Attached to this is the semi-public zone, which has state-of-the-art consultation rooms. Employees can have meetings here with members of the public in a professional, confidential environment in compliance with data protection requirements. The internal area is reserved for staff members and enables them to concentrate on work that does not involve interactions with citizens. There are different types of working areas: the focus zones allow for undisturbed individual work and confidential phone calls; the collaboration areas stimulate interdisciplinary exchange and teamwork in open, light rooms; and the base zones are quiet spaces providing structure for everyday routine tasks. Finally, the design includes communication zones, multifunctional meeting rooms, and refreshment areas with space for breaks, spontaneous meetings and recreation.

“The zones will also enhance communication between colleagues, while improving safety in the working environment. The new design provides transparent structures and neutral consultation rooms for visitors, and a protected working environment for staff with ideal conditions for teamwork and a high level of service quality,” explains Daniela Heine.

District administrator Rosenau sums up by noting that “the well thought-out design, a collaborative teamwork and the strong involvement of all stakeholders creates a working atmosphere that combines efficiency with wellbeing.“ The result are future-proof administrative offices with a clear focus on people.