Offenhausen – August 2009. About two years ago, the “darmstadtium” opened in Darmstadt, a city in Southern Hesse. Although primarily a congress centre, this multifunctional building is much more than just a venue for conventions and events. The fact that it is named after a chemical element immediately suggests that there is a lot more to it. In 1994, the internationally renowned Darmstadt Society for Heavy Ion Research (GSI) successfully bombarded lead with nickel to create “darmstadtium”, a new element with the atomic number 110 in the periodic table. The “darmstadtium” is therefore unmistakably linked to the city and science. It also underlines the international importance of Darmstadt as a “City of Science” – a title which was awarded to it by the Hesse Interior Ministry in 1997.

The Vienna-based architect Talik Chalabi designed the impressive avant-garde building. Its architecture lives up to its name and allows visitors to experience an entirely new feeling of space. The building itself covers an area of around 18,000 square metres. It houses expansive foyer areas, 18 versatile conference rooms which can be combined to accommodate up to 1,300 people, and a congress hall with up to 1,677 seats.
With its multifunctional design, it is the ideal venue for congresses, conferences, company presentations, seminars, workshops, receptions, cultural and concert events, annual general meetings and trade fairs.

The operators were very particular in their choice of furnishings. They demanded versatile, multipurpose chairs which can quickly be adapted to a specific room and use. The easy chairs for the foyer should, first and foremost, fit in with the imposing building and harmoniously reflect its bold architecture. The elegant “Sento” and “Rilasso” ranges from the Dauphin HumanDesign Group (DHDG) were therefore the perfect choice.

The DHDG supplied 1,634 modular chairs from the “Sento” range for the imposing congress hall with its 14 metre high ceiling. A further 1,440 “Sento” chairs were needed for the versatile conference rooms.
In accordance with Hesse's meeting-place regulations, all chairs can be linked together securely, are stackable, feature row/seat numbers, fire-retardant upholstery and an anti-tipping device, and have a reduced seat depth in the tribune area as the aisle width must be at least 40 cm. To comply with this requirement, the front edge of the seat and the backrest were shortened on 245 chairs without spoiling their elegant appearance.

Their classic lines, understated design and harmonious impact on the room make “Sento” chairs ideal all-rounders for large halls. In the case of the “darmstadtium”, the backrests needed to be protected against dirt and wear when the chairs are being set up or put away. The DHDG was happy to cater for this individual customer request and fitted a high-quality chrome backrest grip which gives the chairs a distinctive touch.

The operators chose the “Rilasso” lounge range from DHDG's Züco brand for the impressive foyer and the expansive foyer areas arranged around the congress hall. Handmade and covered in the world’s finest (Lavalina) leather, these comfortable easy chairs are simple yet refined. They fit perfectly into the avant-garde rooms in this modern meeting place for science, business and culture.