Former Caramel office, Türkenstraße 17
Our former office – a former street-level shop with a separate office level above – was joined into one unit with plenty of free (time) spaces alongside compact think-tank areas, perfectly tailored to the needs of the 20-strong team. With efficient, compact work areas and flexible areas for all kinds of things – making, cooking, partying, chilling and talking – so temptingly generous that the staff never feel the urge to go home…
The aim was to create maximum opportunities for communication among all staff, using low-budget materials.
The existing two floors (actually three including the basement) seemed an obstacle to maximum communication between staff and were connected visually and acoustically by several openings.
The lower entrance level serves mainly as an extended communication zone with a shared kitchen and a large dining table that seats all staff in the kitchen at once. The whole lower level is open-plan; the kitchen and the area with the combined table-tennis/meeting table are only lightly separated acoustically and olfactorily by transparent butcher's curtains. There is also an intimate meeting booth with a hidden sleeping/rest zone and, in the larger section, 4 flexible workstations.
On the upper level, a single amorphously shaped table seats all staff, gently meandering through the work area of the floor, visually interrupted by the largest opening, with a slide down to the lower level. On this side are another meeting booth, a larger meeting zone and plotter, printer and model-making areas. In addition to the existing staircase, a secondary staircase was created to keep routes as short as possible. Existing windows were lowered until generous exits to the green back courtyard became possible.
Materials:
Low-cost materials such as white nets as fall protection at stairs and floor openings, and butcher's curtains as dividers and partly also as fall protection. Cream-coloured coatings on the existing stone tile floor. Needle felt on the upper level. Self-built furniture from through-coloured MDF boards, a kitchen made from industrial shelving elements. Exposed raw concrete ceiling. Lighting of simple self-built construction.
