Created in 1986, EUMETSAT, the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, now has 30 European member states. A 900-strong team is engaged at EUMETSAT’s headquarters in Darmstadt. The data supplied by the various satellites is used by national weather services throughout Europe for their weather forecasts and climate research. The organization’s spatial requirements have grown due to the upcoming commissioning and deployment of more satellites.

CANZLER, the Construction & Real Estate specialists, was awarded the general planning and design contract for a new office building providing for a total floor area of 3,200 sqm to be annexed to the north façade of the existing East Building. 120 flexibly configurable work stations will be featured, which can be realized as cubicle, group or open-plan designs, in addition to seven conference rooms. “Back then we designed the office block and cafeteria so they could be extended as needed,” said Michael Maas, the lead project architect. This means that the existing East Building already features the requisite wall openings and rebar links for the reinforced concrete floors of the extension to be built.

“Thanks to the forward-looking planning and design back then, the new building can be constructed without disrupting operations,” explains Maas. Since ongoing developments in the satellite control center point to continued growth, the next expansion steps are already being incorporated in the current planning and design work.

Through CANZLER, SOCOTEC Germany is pleased to be taking part in this visionary project at the European level and serving the client shoulder to shoulder as a reliable, forward-looking partner