STRUCTURAL CHANGE

Raw materials

The old mining and industrial centre of Bochum becomes one of the showcase cities of committed structural change as soon as you take a look at the Mark 51°7 Innovation Quarter. This is where Goldbeck West now resides – in Flex Office 51°7, a building with a striking industrial aesthetic that influences the stylistic atmosphere of the interior. Here, hard labour is transformed into an innovative new work situation in which deliberately dominant functionality and raw materials such as steel, concrete and glass are reflected. Corten steel, chequer plate, expanded metal and wood in particular are used to create a link to the historical genius loci. A chequer plate look can be seen in tile and door panelling, metal partitions and the ceiling sails. It goes without saying that environmentally friendly building materials and recycled materials are an integral part of the design. With the aim of focussing primarily on people and their current needs, formal diversity and fundamental flexibility of use were specified.

Sections

The workspace, which is spread over several floors, endeavours to create a collaborative and focused atmosphere and offers different working situations, specifically a mixture of cellular offices for focused work and communication areas, such as the small meeting spaces known as “huddles”, conference rooms – effectively equipped with monitors and sound systems, team boxes, scrum rooms for agile working and gravity points. Important spaces are meeting places such as the relaxation room, gym and canteen, which enable a specific type of communication between employees. The colour concept works with five colours – from light grey to rich orange – with the accent colour blue being used on walls, ceilings and upholstered furniture, for example. The carpet pattern plays with graphic allusions to stacks of books or the makeshift paths made of wooden planks that were typical of the local mines.

What do you consider to be the key qualities of a good workplace?
Vincenco Ribaudo: A workplace should be geared towards creating a working environment that is varied enough for employees to be able to react to it depending on their activities. Aspects such as flexibility, communication, agility and well-being play a central role here. The flexible office emphasises this adaptability and creates a collaborative and inspiring atmosphere through the various concepts of the new world of work. I think we will be more and more immersed in technology in the future. “Nothing is as constant as change,” Heraclitus claimed. Change is inevitable and it is up to us to react flexibly and proactively to it in order to keep up with the times.
Do you see any similarities in interior design for living and working?
There are definitely similarities in interior design for living and working, especially in terms of creating a comfortable and functional environment. I think the osmosis between home and office is a reality that no one escapes anymore. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated latent and ongoing changes by enabling work from home and opening up office spaces to new uses centred on efficient communication, professional environments and creativity, such as activity-based working, meeting places, gravity points, huddles and scrum spaces.
Which material-related aspects do you consider to be the most important for the future development of workspaces?
First of all, we need to analyse the present, its challenges, which range between the consumption of non-renewable raw materials, global warming and the devastating effects of climate change, in order to understand what the workspace of the future will be like. Choosing sustainable and environmentally friendly materials with carbon neutrality is crucial. In addition, design should be based on reusability and recycling to minimise environmental impact and conserve resources. These approaches not only promote sustainability, but can also reduce operating costs and improve the health of users.