VOLA Academy

Lean, simple and stylish architecture

Aarhus Arkitekterne A/S is a Danish architectural firm with offices in Aarhus and Copenhagen. With its around 60 employees it is among the 15 largest architectural firms in Denmark.  Aarhus Arkitekterne A/S designed the VOLA head quarter ( below ) in Horsens, Denmark in 1999 and extended the building in 2003

The new Vola Academy is a very strikng building covering 1500 m² and includes lecture hall, product training facilities, showroom and offices. It is  both an international showroom and a centre of learning.

The architecture is lean and stylish, the materials few and simple.

The Vola Academy was opened in 2008 to mark Vola’s 40th anniversary. Its clean lines and geometry are very much in keeping with the minimalist Vola style, while its simplicity allows the main emphasis to rest on the products.

Basically, the building consists of an open steel frame with glass gables resting on a concrete base. At the front, the base is stepped, creating an entrance to the building while also forming the staggered seating in the auditorium.

In continuation of the main building are two free-standing frames or arches which mark the entrance and which create a visual interplay of light and shade.

The same holistic approach permeates the interior. The layout is characterised by a high degree of flexibility and functionality. The details are well conceived, the spartan interior characterised by perfectionism and an unfailing sense of style.

The building houses a double-height auditorium, four meeting and conference rooms and a double-height ‘museum corridor’ with display cabinets built into the concrete walls showing a selection of VOLA products. A mezzanine floor above the meeting and conference rooms is used as office space.

An attractive and decorative light filters down and into the building through the narrow window panels, which form an irregular pattern in the facade. The window frames have been painted bright yellow, green and orange, creating a strong effect and adding sharpness to the large open concrete rooms.

The raw concrete is also set off by the glass and wood, by the sense of space and by the minimalist interiors – altogether giving the building the uniquely international and exclusive feel which is also characteristic of the VOLA products.

Carefully selected specialist installers will be invited to study every aspect of the VOLA product range and its applications, with certificates awarded to successful students.

The Academy will also host gatherings of architects and designers who will be welcome to share ideas and opinions.