SOCOTEC Building Solutions, a Munich-based architectural firm, has been commissioned to plan and implement further projects for the pharmaceutical group Daiichi Sankyo. This commission follows the successful strategic design of modern working environments for the company's European headquarters in Munich. The range of services provided by SOCOTEC Building Solutions currently includes projects in Toronto, Dublin, Madrid and Munich, with the Canadian subsidiary recently moving into its new premises.
Daiichi Sankyo Europe (DSE) operates in 15 European countries and is one of the largest Japanese pharmaceutical companies there, with over 3,000 employees. SOCOTEC Building Solutions developed a new office concept for the Toronto location. The planning encompassed a net area of 750 square metres on the 13th floor of a prestigious building in the Financial District, with city views. The aim was to bring together 35 employees who were previously distributed across various office spaces.
The brief included basic research, concept development, structuring of work areas and zones, colour and material concepts, and technical specifications. This involved examining different variants and integrating the insights gained into subsequent planning stages. The implementation was carried out in cooperation with local partner companies, landlord's architects, and construction companies. The underlying concept focuses on the efficient use of every square metre in terms of aesthetics, sustainability, and functionality.
Ana Isabel Alfonso Pizarro, the architect responsible for the project at SOCOTEC Building Solutions, emphasised that each project is understood as a spatial translation of the corporate identity, reflecting how people work, meet, and engage creatively. The goal is to create work ecosystems that strengthen the corporate culture and prepare for future work models. The result is a digital, structured working environment that combines desk sharing with a paperless office approach. Mobile room dividers and ergonomic equipment promote agile working. A bistro serves as an area for breaks, exchange, and retreat. In terms of material selection, natural elements such as wood and moss, as well as reusable components, were considered. The implementation in Toronto presented a particular challenge, as European concepts had to be reconciled with North American standards, norms, and construction systems.
Long-standing cooperation and successes in Munich
The collaboration between SOCOTEC Building Solutions and Daiichi Sankyo Europe began in 2017. The first project involved planning part of the office space on the ground floor of the European headquarters in Munich to create a new canteen. This was followed by the redesign of the entrance area, for which the architects developed sculptural elements. The most extensive commission to date in the 6,000 square metre office building was the conversion of 800 square metres of smaller office spaces into the open and technologically advanced Digital Innovation Hub, whose use is largely determined by high technology.
- —Delicate and flowing appearance thanks to a suspended ceiling made of vertical, curved wooden slats.
- —Delimitation of meeting rooms using glass partition walls.
- —A glazed cylinder as a central meeting room, representing the configuring element of the space.
- —Expansion of the Digital Innovation Hub with a conference area by converting an unused sports hall.
The architect Alfonso Pizarro highlighted the aspects of complex planning that achieve a delicate and flowing spatial effect. This was achieved through the integration of a suspended ceiling made of vertical, curved wooden slats and the delimitation of meeting rooms with glass partition walls. A glazed cylinder serves as a central meeting element, structuring the room without reducing the perceived ceiling height. Last year, the Digital Innovation Hub was expanded with a conference area through the redesign of a previously unused sports hall.
The success of these projects is attributable to the interdisciplinary collaboration between the architects involved, cooperating companies, and construction and installation firms. Close coordination with SOCOTEC Building Solutions' specialist planners for technical building equipment, as well as the client's trust and constructive support, contributed significantly to the project's success.
