Since 2020, architecture enthusiasts visiting the Swabian community of Langenneufnach have found much to admire. The Wagner Design Lab, the new exhibitions space and think tank of the seating furniture manufacturer Topstar, merges architecture and design at the highest level, pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

The family run company, now in its third generation under the leadership of Rainer and Peter Wagner, is well known among architects and interior designers, particularly for their brand “Wagner”. In order to adequately exhibit new developments on the company premises, Peter Wagner, the creative mind of the company, commissioned the firm Titus Bernhard Architekten together with Andreas Weissenbach to design a new showroom. The team created a building that clearly expresses the company's high standards of innovation and design.

The 52-meter-long, 12-meter-wide, and 5.9-meter-high structure hovers above the former residence of the Wagner family. On the street side, it rests on a slender V-shaped support, while on the slope side, it sits on a concrete base that doubles as technical room. In the middle, behind the old residence, a staircase leads upwards, guiding visitors into the open, spacious exhibition area – both a stage and a showcase. The elongated, white space serves not only as a presentation area but also as a "think tank" for creative work. It is enclosed by four floor-to-ceiling, oversized glass panes, which were developed in collaboration with the glass manufacturer Sedak specifically for this project. Measuring 3.04 x 19.21 meters, these triple-insulated glass panels are the largest ever installed worldwide, forming two 117 m² glass surfaces with only one joint each.

In order to achieve the desired slenderness of the structure despite the large spans and challenging building ground, a steel skeleton was the only option for the shell construction. However, steel, unlike the large-format glass panels, has relatively high deformability. Structural engineers, steel construction contractors, and Sedak, together with the architects had to develop special movable bearings that could absorb the substantial forces of the approximately six-ton glass panes. A high degree of precision in execution was essential for all companies involved in the construction.

The same precision was applied to the façade. Polygonal, anthracite-colored façade elements were cut and drilled at the factory in order to be assembled accurately on-site. No visible fastenings, drainage elements, or protective sheets disrupt the appearance. The roof, the fifth façade, also remains free of disruptive technical installations.

Even before its completion, the WAGNER Design Lab was awarded the German Design Award 2020. The jury stated: "An elongated cubic structure boldly placed into the slope, supported at the front by a V-column – the clear architecture of the WAGNER Design Lab reflects the brand's high standards of design. With the largest window pane, it makes a confident statement. A timelessly elegant design that appears transparent, open, light, and inviting."