VERSATILE

Building for yourself

It started with one floor with plenty of daylight thanks to almost completely surrounding ribbon windows. A total area of around 1,200 square metres was available, 495 square metres of which was to be used for office space so that 39 employees could be optimally positioned. Now it was time for the design, for which only three months were available. But what is it all about and who is building here? The location is Zurich, a “New Work Hub” was to be created and berry AG is responsible. The task was an easy one for the company because, as a workplace consulting firm, it has its own experts in interior design, organisation, work psychology and products. The company’s own site in Zurich was to be designed, which provided an ideal starting point for conceptualisation, choice of form and implementation.

flowing office

The decisions, which often had to be made at short notice, could be dealt with directly in the team and realised quickly. The rectangular floor plan of the storey was defined as an agile open-space area in which the functions are loosely arranged – apart from the unchangeable positions of the stairs and toilets as well as the technical cores. Concentrated desk work, meetings, cells for telephone calls here, creative zones and discourse rooms there, lounge, staff kitchen and facilities for social interaction there. A flowing office landscape that can be easily differentiated using characteristic interior scenarios. When it came to furnishing, great importance was attached to using mainly manufacturers from the local area, such as Girsberger and Vitra, or at least products from neighbouring countries. The sound insulation, which is essential for an open-plan space, was created in collaboration with Impact Acoustic, using acoustic luminaires from Prolicht. The insulating material used, which comes from recycled bottles for example, filters out disturbing ambient noise and regulates the reverberation time.

What do you think are the key qualities of a good workplace?
Jennifer Kossow: In our view, a good workplace is designed in such a way that people and their needs are at the centre. This includes a culture of trust that supports a New Work concept in such a way that employees can decide for themselves where and when they want to carry out their activities. A good workplace therefore consists of different work zones for collaboration, retreat, informal exchange, etc.
Do you see any similarities in interior design for living and working?
Throughout our lives, we spend more time at work than at home when we are awake. For centuries, we have designed our living spaces to make us feel comfortable and at home. For a long time, this was not the case with office design. Offices were monotonous and sterile. A major change has taken place here in recent years. Cosiness and the general well-being of employees in the workplace have become much more important. As a result, more textiles, pleasant colour combinations and plants have found their way in.
Which functional aspects do you consider to be the most important for the future development of workspaces?
The workspaces of the future must generate added value for employees. I will only spend my time in the physical space if I know the purpose and possible outcome of my work in the working environment. This creates a natural transfer of expertise and innovation. I can also identify more strongly with my work and the company I work for in the physical office. We therefore see the functional aspects of an office of the future primarily in the creation of attractive work zones and in strengthening the visibility of what a company and its employees stand for.