Snøhetta has recently completed a four-story timber office building for international trekking and adventure travel company ASI Reisen. The structure combines timber frame construction with solid wooden elements intended to optimize the use of materials and allow for the largest amount of open floor area within the new office.

"With its resource-saving timber construction and sophisticated sustainable energy concept, the new ASI headquarters marks an inspiration for responsibly constructing our homes and office spaces for the future. At the same time, the new office space offers a pleasant and modern working atmosphere for its employees," said Patrick Lüth, Managing Director of Snøhetta’s studio in Innsbruck in a statement.

The defining feature of the structure is its "green curtain" of climbing plants that grow on a suspended metal frame. Fit with 17 different warm weather and evergreen plant species, the green curtain functions as a heat shield and provides shading to the exterior glazing. This treatment of lush plant life creates a microclimate within the building that helps reduce energy consumption associated with cooling its spaces.

According to Snøhetta, "a traditional Japanese method of wood preservation was used [for the facade], known as yakisugi. Slightly charred and thus carbonized, the façade is both waterproof and durable without the need for further painting, while also protecting against insects." 

Moreover, the basement and the core of the building are made of reinforced concrete. To further embrace the push for sustainability, rainwater from the roof is collected in an underground cistern and feeds the automatic irrigation system for the plants on the facade and the office's garden.

The open-plan office is designed for ASI Reisen's 65 employees and can accommodate various other uses if needed. Panoramic views of the surrounding forests and mountains abound within the building and a variety of individual workspaces and communal areas offer a contrast to the pure open office layout.