This is a building which is pictorial in two ways: on the one hand it presents the structure as a large-format painting; on the other, it lends Sedus Soll a new identity. From far away the coloured surface seems to help dissolve the large mass into its landscape context, as the optical mix of the skin blends with the warm brick reds of the neighbouring façade while at the same time harmonising with the immediate tones of the village, the agricultural landscape and the hues of the distant hills.

The extended high-bay warehouse of Sedus Stoll (now 115m long and 29 m high) lies at the foothills of the Black Forest near the small town of Dogern. It is by far the largest element amongst the various structures of the factory compound. Together with the main office building, it is quite visible from the main road. At the same time, its great scale presents an impressive elevation towards the Rhine – just a field away – and the hills beyond.

The design of the new façade uses of an off-the-shelf cladding system. The standard elements are 25 cm high and 160 cm long. Twenty special colours were selected for a freely composed distribution over the entire surface of the building volume. The selection of the actual colours followed a design process in which many colour combinations were tested – as large-scale elevations, small-scale photographic collages and finally as 1:1 mock-up models.