Jacoby Studios

The family-run company group, which includes the brands Rico Design, idee. Creativmarkt and Wolle Rödel, has been developing and marketing do-it-yourself wholesale and retail products since 1973. To unite all the employees spread across several locations under one roof, the former St. Vincenz hospital situated on the grounds of a 17th-century monastery in the old town of Paderborn was converted into the new corporate head office – the Jacoby Studios – under the guidance of David Chipperfield Architects.

The ensemble of buildings, which was used as a hospital until 2012, was restored to its historic state prior to destruction during the Second World War. The new construction integrated the ruins of the former cloister in the centre. The zones accessible to the public are located on the ground floor, while the flexible office space is situated on the upper floors.

The work environments were planned together with the Vitra Consulting & Planning Studio (CPS), enabling many customised solutions, particularly when it came to choosing materials and fabrics. The result is an office landscape that communicates the company's creative culture and has unlocked enormous synergies between wholesale and retail in the company’s internal processes.