The buffalo may exude power and may become a symbol of robustness, toughness, and long life! - This wish was given to the buffalo logo by the graduate engineer Ernst A. Bettag, sole proprietor of BIG, already at an early date. These properties have not only been claimed by the world-wide renowned BIG Bobby-Car since 1972 but today also apply to the new BIG toys facility in Burghaslach in Franconia, Germany. Now, the familiar buffalo can be seen at the prominent facade of the newly erected production and logistics centre. Protected by its horns even visible from a distance, the modern facilities fit into the landscape determined by gentle hills like square bodies. And already the first look at the new buildings shows that environmental and resources protection were of the highest priority during the entire planning despite important technical improvements.

Welcome to the world of BIG Bobby-Cars

After a short drive on the highway between Nuremberg and Frankfurt, the drivers are welcomed by the red and grey colours of the BIG toys facility. Located on a small hill, the buffalo - known to many children and adults as "bonnet mascot" of the Bobby-Cars - is glancing far up to Burghaslach. Approaching the new factory premises, the little drivers in particular will be surprised by the real dimensions of their buffalo. Proudly and powerfully, the huge BIG logo welcomes its guests small and large and shows everybody what is going on. In the factory building, everything revolves around the robust sliders, in particular Bobby-Cars, which leave the fully-automatic assembly line in ever-new colour combinations and model variants, are inspected and stacked. The automated high shelf space of the new logistics centre can park up to 250,000 quality-tested children's cars which are awaiting their trip to the specialist shops.

Exciting play of colours

The varied use of the high-tech toys facility is matched in particular by the clear differentiation of the floorcovering: In the warehouse and production areas, a discreet grey lime floor determines the character of the industrial area while rubber floorcoverings of Freudenberg Bausysteme KG are installed in the neighbouring offices and the cafeteria. The red colour of the buffalo's horns and the grey shades of the striking facade were arranged by the Nuremberg interior designer Petra Schleifenheimer into an exciting play of colours within the floorcovering. In the rubber floorcovering noraplan mega chosen for BIG, the discrete light and dark grey colour is in contrast to the precisely matched red inlays. Thanks to its tone-in-tone integration, noraplan mega achieves a calming and homogeneous colour effect within the surface and thus opens up numerous options for design freedom: It is not only the colours reflected in the floorcovering, but also the forms of the floorcovering inlays become natural mirror images of the suspended ceilings above the workplaces.

Creativity squared

In order to be able to install the numerous inlays of the floorcoverings without any problems, the rubber floorcovering comes as square tiles (61 x 61 cm) which are joined like different tesseras. For precise cutting of the floorcovering, solely a conventional factory plan in the scale 1:50 is required - the individual forms of the inlays are recorded in a CAD programme and then precisely cut using the water torch. In the office section of the assembly hall, noraplan mega repeats the soft forms of the ceiling and separates the individual rooms through its cheerful play of colours. Again and again, the glowing red becomes an eye-catcher, a discrete reference to traffic and rest zones. Red buffalo horns glow as original door knobs at built-in cupboards, stylised horns at cupboard doors are a playful match of the four-legged creature. And only a few steps away, in the adjacent logistics centre where the administration and sales departments will be accommodated, the scarlet inlays in the assembly office become inlayed zebra crossings, diagonal lines in the room lead in a playful way to the large conference table.

Familiar and surprising aspects

Following the stairs from the central foyer to the top, the management floor emerges. As with the other offices, the floorcovering reflects the playful use of inlays. Colours and forms unite different areas. The impressive panorama view onto Burghaslach from this floor is framed by the known triad of the noraplan colours. The scarlet floorcovering of the conference room communicates its effect through the transparent glass wall far to the front reception area. An arc-like suspended ceiling hangs above the reception desk and its marked form is reflected in the dark grey noraplan mega on the floor. Completely in the sense of the product philosophy of BIG focusing on solidity, stability, durability and on soft and round forms, the floorcovering inlays are manifold interpretations of the round or the curved.

Of course, it is not only work done in the new toys facility: For rests, the canteen on the ground floor with its two slightly raised seating platforms and the cafeteria on the upper floor are recommended. Here, both employees and guests are welcomed by a surprising composition. A light grey and red noraplan mega surrounds a field of square stone tiles in a chequered pattern.

A dialogue with the landscape

noraplan floorcoverings prove to be finely matched partners not only in combination with other materials, but the strengths of noraplan show itself in the various uses: Its high abrasion-resistance, its robustness and durability combine excellently with the properties of the BIG buffalo. When looking out it becomes obvious how consistently the buildings are framed by extensive greens and retention areas, how naturally the new buildings are in dialogue with the landscape. A convincing overall picture which is also accessible to the broad public because a BIG playworld for children is planned to be erected soon on the green premises of the facility.