The town of Rheda-Wiedenbrück is situated on the upper reaches of the River Ems in North Rhine-Westphalia. The townscape is characterized by pretty half-timbered houses dating from the 13th century. Through the architects' sensitive, intelligent and unpretentious approach, the new civic centre constitutes an architectural dialogue where the old with its existing buildings and the new ensemble are of equal importance. Instead of designing one major building complex, the architects realized a composition of buildings that blend with the surroundings far more naturally.