Action Spaces

A Vision for the Future: Productivity Meets Co-Creation

The term “work factory” was intentionally chosen to bring a guiding principle into the newly designed workspace: working in an optimized environment—productive, flexible, and forward-looking. The team at days with us in Zurich, which supports companies of various sizes and industries on their journey toward future-ready learning and working environments, combined this with a second key goal: co-creation. The idea was to fuse the skills and activities of the thirty contributors with the inspiration of visiting guests, all supported by the newly created 520-square-meter space.

The aim is to generate external feedback and reactions, as days with us is about conducting workshops with decision-makers and employees, analyzing their needs, and providing impulses—all with the future in mind. In the work factory, the focus is on understanding how people within the client company collaborate, how they communicate, and what kind of corporate culture should come to life in the physical office space. The ultimate goal? To create the best possible interior architecture to support these processes.

A Flexible, Shared Creative Space

To facilitate these goals, the location now offers a variety of usable space options: a creative studio, workshop rooms, a podcast studio, and diverse meeting and exchange zones. But the staff themselves are also key beneficiaries of the new workspace. Several innovative teams—days with us, Impact Acoustic, and WeAreAgent—share the space. However, this isn’t done through fixed workstations or classic co-working arrangements; instead, the space is used entirely flexibly as a creative user community.

A prototype studio has been set up for developing color and material concepts. Meeting and focus pods provide space for reflection and concentrated work. A spacious cafeteria encourages informal exchange and spontaneous brainstorming, while a terrace offers the option of working outdoors. The color and material choices aim to create a homely, warm atmosphere, with bold accents providing stimulation. All selections—from furniture and textiles to lighting and acoustic elements—were made with a strong focus on quality, ensuring both functionality and long-term durability.

What can architecture do for a good workplace?

Jennifer Kossow: From our perspective, interior design can do a lot for well-being. For example, sensory aspects are of central importance: proper lighting design with appropriate alignment to the respective work zones, suitable acoustics, and supporting air quality—such as through the use of plants—contribute significantly to well-being and, consequently, the quality of the workplace.

How much should the design of the workspace cater to individual needs?

We believe that the individual needs of different departments must definitely contribute to the concept and should be integrated into the planning. However, even more important is the individuality of the company at the physical location: employees must feel connected to the company they work for and have the opportunity to shape this culture daily.

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

In order for an office to offer something suitable for everyone, we believe two areas are the most important: designated areas for exchange, where spontaneous and cross-team communication can happen, on one side (cafeterias, standing meeting areas, work lounges, etc.), and visually and acoustically separated retreat zones on the other side (focus workstations, meeting pods, power nap rooms, etc.).