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Architects: Bruzkus Batek Architects
- Area: 1300 m²
- Year: 2016
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Photographs:Jens Bösenberg
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Manufacturers: Leland
Text description provided by the architects. In the historic former cold storage building “Eierspeicher” on the north bank of the River Spree, Osthafen, Berlin, Bruzkus Batek architects have undertaken the redesign and comprehensive material and spatial conception of Razorfish’s 2500 sq m office space. The office occupies two levels, linked by pre-existing staircases. The elements of the new design enclose the building’s structure without disturbing it, working harmoniously with the existing elements, mainly using OSB.
In the reception area, the central position of the counter provides better eye-contact between staff, and visitors arriving at the office. The meeting room is enhanced with a cladding of long vertical wooden slats in a natural finish, providing some privacy but also connection with the rest of the space. The staircase in the centre of the area, along with the railings around the edges of the upper floor are coated in bright yellow finish, providing a colour accent. Underneath the staircase is extensive book shelving, giving a sense of homeliness to this space.
The upper floor houses the actual office space, with the renewed desks constructed of light metal framing and OSB surfaces lending a sense of airiness and space to the area. The kitchen area features a large, freestanding counter with seating, inviting communication between staff as they enjoy their food. Along from the kitchen area is a second, wider staircase, clad in OSB and transformed into a novel, podium style seating area that forms the centrepiece of meetings with all of the company’s 80 employees present. When staff wish to leave their desks and work, the tea house atmosphere of the White Room is perfect, with its adaptable, varied soft furnishings providing a comfortable setting to be productive in.
The minimalist concept of the design is extremely effective, with sensibly chosen materials and surface treatments uniting to provide a sublime, exciting space. The flexibility of OSB to facilitate varying accents with the different finishes used and both bare and ABS lined edges makes each space different and provides dynamic contrast between them. Finally, brushed stainless steel and the Green Wall both provide unique accents.
