The new office space for Design Hotels is located on the top floor of AXES, a new building at Berlin Ostkreuz — a former industrial zone now transformed into a dynamic urban hub. Its unique position offers views toward both the city and the Rummelsburger Bucht. With 5-meter ceilings and ample daylight, the space provides a monumental setting for a bold design approach.
The space is structured into three primary zones: a dedicated office area, a brand lab, and a central community zone. A hybrid office typology—defined by a mix of open and enclosed areas - breaks up the expansive layout, enhancing spatial flow and enabling a series of human-scaled work environments.
The color scheme reflects the brand’s visual identity, combining neutral tones with carefully selected secondary colors. Natural, earthy tones — primarily rusty red and matcha green — form the base, defining the character of each zone across the entire layout through their contrast and combination.
COMMUNITY AREA
The community area, serving as the main entry hall, is one of the most striking spaces—whose scale demands a bold spatial response. Two key elements were introduced: a free-standing meeting room and a raised podium to define zones and guide flow without compromising the open character.
The podium, the second key element, shapes the space organically and defines a dedicated area within the open plan, balancing openness and flexibility. Inspired by the classical "conversation pit" concept, freestanding furniture atop the podium creates varied seating levels for informal communication, collaboration, or focused work. Additional separation by a half-transparent curtain enables multiple uses: chill-out conversations, presentations, or in-office activities like yoga.
OFFICE AREA
The office area is divided by enclosed spaces, including meeting rooms, brainstorming zones, and telephone boxes, providing dedicated working areas while preserving the open layout. The café at the back of the office connects to the outdoor terrace. Its highly flexible layout serves daytime office needs while also functioning as an event space for after-work activities.
BRAND LAB
The Brand Lab, as the creative heart of the office, is designed as a flowing space around the workshop area, offering a comfortable and focused environment for informal meetings and collaborative work. At its core, the workshop area is defined by a central table that serves as the focal point. On the opposite side, rotating dividers separate the workshop from the kitchen area, offering display surfaces for graphics, ideas, and materials.
