05/01/2013 - Building Report: Deutsche Vermögensberatung DVAG, Marburg

With its Information and Congress Centre in Marburg an der Lahn, Middle Hesse, Deutsche Vermögensberatung (DVAG) has caused a sensation throughout the sector. The entrance area of the unusual meeting venue was redesigned recently. Featuring lounge seating from Züco's striking "Alterno" range, it now provides the ideal introduction to the fascinating world of finance and asset management.
 
Offenhausen, May 2013 – DVAG specialises in the management and safeguarding of assets. Its founder, Professor Reinfried Pohl, has received numerous awards for his economic, scientific and social achievements. He also came up with the company's "Allfinanz" idea. The Allfinanz principle states that it is more efficient and ultimately more successful if financial services for planning, managing and safeguarding people's assets are provided by one company rather than many.

With over 37,000 financial consultants working on either a full-time or casual basis, DVAG looks after almost six million customers. Founded in 1975, it offers comprehensive, cross-sector Allfinanz consultancy services aimed at a broad section of the public – true to its guiding principle "Asset management for everyone!". In the 2012 financial year, the family-run company achieved a turnover of around € 1.1858 billion and made an annual net profit of over €184.9 million.

"These are impressive figures for an impressive company," said Jürgen Arnold from the office and facilities furnishing firm Werndl + Schmidt-Keilholz. The facilities expert from Dreieich has been assisting DVAG in planning and furnishing its offices for over 14 years now and therefore understands the needs of his customer. With the help of his team, he came up with a new design for the entrance area of the financial consultancy centre in Marburg, the founding family's home town.

The impressive complex of buildings opened in 2011 and has a gross floor area of approx. 10,000 square metres. The congress and meeting venue is not only an urban development highlight in the university town – it contributes to Marburg's cultural profile too. Since it opened, it has played host to more than 700 events with over 60,000 participants. The centre also gives interested visitors the opportunity to find out about the world of financial products. The successful combination of an exhibition, a world of experience and a museum allows unique insights into DVAG as a company, the visions of the company founder and his personal collection of exhibits which includes the famous G8 beach chair from Heiligendamm and an original Ferrari driven by the 7-times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schuhmacher.

"This very special interactive venue provides an easy-to-understand, detailed insight into the success story of the family company, the work of financial consultants and the basics of finance," said Jürgen Arnold. What is more, new exhibition themes such as the latest Allfinanz Exhibition are being added all the time. In order to tune visitors' and guests' senses to the exhibition and the information on offer, the specialist furniture retailer redesigned the museum's entrance area. Instead of a reception counter, people can now linger and relax on comfortable easy chairs from Züco, a brand of the Dauphin HumanDesign® Group (DHDG).

"The modern architecture of the building harmonises extremely well with bold furniture design. In view of this fact, we quickly opted for "Alterno", an inviting swivel chair from Ballendat Design which can be used from a number of sides," explained Project Manager Arnold. Züco chairs have been successfully used in waiting areas, reception areas, entrance halls, foyers, lounges and managers' offices. The chrome circular base on the stylish, modern chair contrasts pleasantly with the soft seat upholstered in either high-quality Lavalina leather or a woollen or textile fabric.

The "Alterno" chairs at the DVAG's centre are in a variety of versions including light blue leather. The seating therefore picks up on the prevailing colour scheme in the entrance area, creating a design symbiosis with the building. "A classic, customized solution," said facilities consultant Jürgen Arnold. "The customer wanted this special shade of blue which is used throughout the museum for the seating too. Züco reacted quickly and had the leather dyed in the requested special shade with minimal fuss. At the request of the customer, the armrests on the easy chairs were also customised and specially produced by Züco."

In order to provide special touches in the large room and the gallery, Arnold and his team came up with a light and fresh colour scheme. They combined the summery blue waiting chairs with "Alterno" chairs in white, orange and yellow, arranging two or four chairs in the form of an island on a beige carpet in each case. The installation was complemented by matching side tables – an inviting combination which gets visitors in the mood for the museum the moment they step inside the building.

BUILDING FACT FILE

Building: Deutsche Vermögensberatung (DVAG), Zentrum für Vermögensberatung, GER-Marburg
Specialist retailer: Werndl + Schmidt-Keilholz, GER-Dreieich-Sprendlingen
Products: "Alterno" from Züco, CH-Rebstein
Manufacturer: Dauphin HumanDesign® Group, D-Offenhausen