Lepel & Lepel

Building Relationships

The site of the former Clouth 104 Gummiwerke – an old industrial estate in Cologne – is currently being redeveloped to host a number of offices, studios and apartments. It is here that Lepel & Lepel, the architectural practice in charge of the transformation, has also designed a new home for itself. The office is conceived as a ‘playground for creativity’, a space were ideas can flow freely between different, often multi-disciplinary teams and workstations.

Structure and Contrast

To ensure maximum flexibility, the architects decided on an open, loft-style floorplan with very few walls, thus increasing cooperation between employees and building relationships within the workplace. But as much as there is freedom, there is structure. The space, enclosed by a distinct, clear-cut shell, hosts a number of black cubes, which create a contrast to the rough concrete architecture. As an alternative to the open office areas, these cubes offer employees the possibility to withdraw to a more intimate space.