The fact that spaces actually have a sound is unknown to most laypeople, but it is by no means secondary to holistic interior design planning. Of course, an underground parking garage or a school auditorium generates a specific combination of sound and atmosphere— but at Warner Music, more comes together: Here, music is conceived, organized, and made. That is why the interior should be designed to be perfectly suited to this purpose. No easy task. The workspace developed by GRAEF found its home in Berlin-Mitte, in the BEAM House, a hybrid architecture—already generating creative tension—combining a Wilhelminian palace with tech style. The design concept, dubbed “The Wave,” echoes Warner’s corporate colors with its dominant tones of black and white, and uses a groove motif to evoke vinyl records and the flow of music. The overall design is characterized by undulating forms, as seen in the organically shaped floor coverings or the curved glass walls. The same applies to special interior elements and zones such as the Welcome Area, Sound Stage, cocktail bar, or the Music Lounge, which is equipped with a Dolby Atmos sound system. Since the Warner work environment is fortunate enough to extend onto a rooftop terrace above the rooftops of Berlin, attention was also paid there to the formal implementation of the dynamic, undulating design: custom-designed sunshades ensure an appropriately harmonious and exclusive outdoor ambiance. Inside, open spaces combine with separate areas for focused work and meetings. It was important to meet the functional and atmospheric requirements of both a permanent work presence and a temporary, artistically communicative presence—the goal was a “platform for creative togetherness.”
