adidas World of Sports
Herzogenaurach, DE
| Type | campus, landscape design |
| Location | Herzogenaurach, Germany |
| Size | 14 ha |
| Client | adidas AG |
| Partners | WGF Objekt(technical landscape consultant); WPW (building and construction engineers) |
| Competition | Frans Boots (technical landscape consultant) Chris Kabel (product designer) ARUP (engineering consultant, sustainability) Amsterdam Fashion Institute (branding development) IMGplus (3D, visualizations), Holly Syrett GW Agency |
| Team | Cees van der Veeken, Silke Volkert, Lars van Os, Leire Cavillo, Mikel Orbegozo, Brigitta van Weeren, Erica Chladova |
| Photos | Hanns Joosten |
| Awards | International Architecture Award 2021, Shortlist Deutscher Landschaftsarchitektur preis 2021, Shortlist BDLA Award 2021 |
LOLA Landscape Architects designed and realized the new 14.000 m2 campus expansion of the adidas headquarters in Germany. Bright star-shaped public spaces and a swirling new lake provide the adidas World-of-Sports with a fresh and future-oriented identity. The landscape design forms a strong visual composition with the crisp facades of the new buildings that have landed on this former military airbase.
Entering the headquarters, the yellow and red crossroads are immediate eye catchers. These twelve meter brightly colored “stars” act as squares. They are the connecting fabric in the landscape and form the intersection of where adidas employees meet and many activities take place. A newly designed lake completes the key features of LOLA’s landscape design. The lake visually links the public and private part of the campus in one view, rendering a fence obsolete and reinforcing the open perspective of adidas with its headquarters.
Immersion of the sports culture of adidas starts for all visitors on the red star with the walk of fame with prominent foot and handprints of, among others, Zinedine Zidane and Stan Smith, and a bronze statue of founder Adi Dassler. At one of the ends LOLA integrated a bicycle shelter in the design. On and around the stars different type of program are placed that refer to the diversity of sports that adidas is known for. Including a multi pitch for football, rugby and hockey games, a skate park and trampolines where employees can blow off steam during a break or on their way to meetings.
Zoom red star
Zoom yellow star
LOLA’s lake is the other crucial element in the landscape. Closing the space between the new campus buildings Halftime (COBE architects) and ARENA (Behnisch architects), the lake enhances the views and reflects the architecture, trees and brings lightness. In addition, it provides the campus lawns and trees with water in dry spells and it buffers the roof and surface runoff in rainy seasons – while also cooling the building Halftime. A seating area with bright yellow sunshades is overlooking the lake.
Masterplan
adidas landscape of the future
A Campus is both a field as well as a city. The ancient Roman Campo Marzio is a classic example of a field gradually morphing into the city fabric. In a similar fashion the adidas campus will develop in time, like an array of buildings, gardens, landscapes and monuments of various generations that defined adidas at that given time.
The campus landscape is the gathering place of the employees of the adidas Group; the quintessence of the adidas brand experience is what athletes, co-workers, media and retailers visit the campus for – to get inspired and awed by what adidas is developing, testing and performing. The edgy, clear and colorful design that is so characteristic of adidas is embedded in all lines and shapes on campus. It guides visitors in a clear way along the various buildings – like an English landscape garden of the 21st century. This campus is adidas without the logo being present, and that is exactly what our client intended: you are in the adidas landscape of the future.
Within the masterplan of headquarters, it is foreseen that from 2020 and beyond the next steps will be taken for the older part of the adidas campus to be transformed with the addition of 2 more stars and various new green and leisure features.
Competition render: office view containing an orange bench.
Competition render: stepping stones in the water create a new challenge on the campus.
Green gardens framing the new parking building
A trampoline is integrated in the design of the yellow star
Seating tribune and yellow star matching parasols
Drone photo from red star
