Opening of Hall 4 on the MÜHLE factory premises

Greater sustainability through redesign

At MÜHLE, we strive to work with regional partners and suppliers in our production processes. The same principle was applied to the new production hall. Its interior wooden construction, which the architect deliberately intended to contrast with the hall’s exterior, chiefly consisting of glass and metal, was designed with wood from the local Ore Mountains and the neighbouring northern Czech Republic. In addition to its excellent structural and insulating properties, this material also ensures a healthy climate inside the structure.

The use of this renewable raw material illustrates the connection to the company site in the region as well as to MÜHLE’s sustainable production methods. This year, for example, we completely converted our operations to eco-gas, which is an important step towards emissions-free production. The building is heated by new, painstakingly installed geothermal heat pumps. Another factor behind the building’s high level of efficiency is its complex ventilation system, which draws in air via an underground system and either heats or cools it in a natural and energy-saving way, depending on the season.

Connection to nature

A bird’s-eye view reveals that the traditional company has managed to achieve the balance between its own special sense of aesthetics and blending in with the harmonious nature of the Ore Mountains. Partly embedded in the elevation of the mountains, the company building is integrated almost organically into the surrounding landscape, including the nearby residential houses. The flat roofs of the building complex, some of which are green, bear witness to this. The roof of the new hall has also been used to expand the existing photovoltaic system, which houses additional solar modules – with the aim of being able to cover a large part of the company’s power supply from its own resources.

Visible to all

On the one hand, the exterior of the new building impresses visitors with its gleaming aluminium profiles, which architect Sebastian Thaut deliberately chose as a reference to the shaving products manufactured at the site. On the other, its liberal use of glass elements has a significant impact on the hall’s character and ensures maximum natural lighting of the interior. Above all, however, the large-scale glass facade embodies transparency, openness and permeability – characteristics that lie at the heart of the company’s values and which MÜHLE is at pains to implement as consistently as possible.

In the spirit of a manufactory made of glass, the hall’s architecture stands for authenticity and accessibility. It invites people to take a look behind the scenes and to experience the fascination of the work done by a manufactory for themselves.