In communication

Designing the Future of Work

A well-facilitated exchange between users and planners lays a strong and resilient foundation for the implementation process. For the design of the Beiersdorf Campus at the company’s headquarters in Hamburg, the designers from Ippolito Fleitz Group chose the path of a “Global Workplace Strategy,” developed in close collaboration with the employees. This resulted in the vision of an identity-forming workplace of the future spread across six floors. The space program called for 37,000 square meters of office space and a 1,500-square-meter dining area. The key planning parameters were communication, collaboration, concentration, and contemplation—always based on pragmatic functionality and forward-thinking flexibility. The space schema was designed to correlate with the work process, thus considering cooperation and sharing.

A program of space modules was developed, including areas for focused work and retreats, spaces for discreet and informal conversations while sitting or standing, concentrated contemplation while lying down, small workshops, large presentations, as well as spontaneous meetings and co-working situations. On the “Entrance Level,” the Working Café and Campus Restaurant are centrally located, serving as the heart of the campus—a transparent and lively community hub that can be used as an extended workplace at any time of day.

Innovative Collaboration Spaces for Every Work Style

The “Collaboration Hub” on the first floor is designed for all employees on the campus. The interconnected floor plan serves as an agile interaction space with a variety of formats and rooms. The “Office” occupies the upper floors, fulfilling a wide range of spatial requirements to accommodate different work styles. Various meeting areas create memorable places that provide intuitive orientation, such as experimental interaction zones like the “Garden of Creativity” or the “Playground,” workshop-like spaces such as “Under Construction” and “In the Clouds,” communicative areas like the “Stage” and “Power Station” in the central café, hybrid spaces like the “Urban Labs,” or the large “Conference City Blocks.”

Noteworthy is the conceptual shift in the conference floor, which was initially designed in a traditional manner. Now, it features a cooperative, individually usable platform for everyone, whether alone, in small groups, or larger teams.

What can architecture do for a good workplace?

Ippolito Fleitz Group: Well-designed work environments are places with a strong personality, where the culture and values of the company come to the surface. At the same time, they are places that allow for diverse forms of work. On the one hand, they foster a sense of belonging and participation among employees, while on the other hand, they promote agility and innovation. The physical office thus becomes a meaningful place.

How much should workspace design cater to individual needs?

Every company has different, unique answers to the question of how work should be done in the future. The office is merely the visible part of an all-encompassing change process. The support of this process is at least as important as the outcome, and the involvement of future users is essential. Together, the individual requirements for the new work environment are determined—from the situation at the workplace to the range of spaces offered.

What functions and/or spaces are most important to you in a workspace?

The individual mix of spaces for communication, collaboration, concentration, and contemplation is derived from the organizational and work culture of a company. A crucial role is played by once secondary areas such as tea kitchens or cafeterias, which are now central places for communication.