Colour-Coded

Project Overview: A Contemporary Office and Showroom in Cologne

The project encompasses 278 square meters of basement space within a former chair factory in the southern part of Cologne. The objective was to create an office and showroom for Projekt Rheinland AG. The concept, termed the “Work.Experience.Space.,” was designed to be a welcoming environment for both employees and clients. The space is supported and enriched by the concurrent offerings of the involved manufacturers: VITRA, Object Carpet, Moltoluce, and König + Neurath. Unlike traditional catalog-based approaches, this setting allows corporate clients to engage in workshops or rent the space to explore how contemporary work environments function and assess whether, for instance, an open-plan concept would be suitable for their needs. The design was executed by stanke interiordesign.

Design Concept: Color as a Spatial Experience

A central element of the design was the use of color to intuitively define different spatial zones. Areas designated for relaxation and focus are characterized by blue and gray tones, while vibrant sulfur yellow with coral red accents invite interaction in the designated zones. Further orientation is provided through changes in flooring: traditional work and meeting areas are equipped with low-pile carpeting, quiet zones with high-pile carpeting, and active or agile areas feature open-cast screed. The first point of contact is the striking yellow kitchen counter: a centrally located room box with a futuristic hammered metal finish visually separates the workstations from the corridor and kitchen area. This box integrates a meeting room, phone booth, cloakroom, lockers, printer niche, and a video conference workstation, which can be discreetly enclosed using switchable glass when needed. A half-floor below, at the rear, is the agile workshop area. Visitors are guided via the acoustic baffles running along the ceiling and the seating steps into the arena, where a large LED wall framed in sea pine with red-highlighted grain serves as a focal point. Workstations for focused tasks are acoustically and visually enclosed with attached felt panels and curtains. Products such as Vitra’s Comma, a modular and flexible shelving system that is functionally adaptable and quickly configurable for various scenarios, and König + Neurath’s highly flexible room-in-room system were utilized. Upon client request, its aluminum profiles were coated in coral red, ensuring the consistent implementation of the color concept.

What can architecture do for a good workplace?

Nadia Stanke: Architecture is essential for a good workplace and strongly influences our performance, mindset, and well-being. Beyond the absolute minimum requirements of optimal technical equipment, lighting, acoustics, etc., architecture should strike a balance between imposition and restraint.

Which functions and/or spaces are most important to you in a work environment?

Since the pandemic and the establishment of home office arrangements, it has become clear that primarily the opportunities for interaction create added value in the office. Therefore, creating communication spaces is essential for us and counts among the most important tasks of contemporary office design. Whether formal or informal, creative, analog, or digital: the design of the space significantly determines the quality, content, and duration of the conversation.

Which materials do you recommend to your clients in architecture or interior design?

For us, sustainable but above all authentic materials are essential for good spatial design. The decision regarding materiality is often linked to the budget question. However, when considering the lifespan, tactile, and ecological benefits, the higher costs often become relative and offer the user long-term added value.