Wiesner-Hager office magazine concept #39 EN

# 39
Bling-Bling
Offices
WHERE’S THE LINE BETWEEN AUTHENTICITY
AND FLAMBOYANCE?
Lavender grey fabrics, shiny copper details, Mocha Mousse walls and dusky
pink flowers in organic ceramic vases – just how much Instagram can one
office take? Glam looks good. But how can it help your business?
O F F I C E W O R K S T Y L E T R E N D S

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Content
PAGE 03
EDITORIAL
Real talk about Insta-offices
P A G E 0 4
WORK RELOADED
Balancing style and purpose
P A G E 0 9
ASKING 2 GENERATIONS
Instagrammable offices
PAGE 10
OFFICE LIFE
Meet you at the office marketplace
PAGE 12
OFFICE LIFE
Biophilic lighting design
PAGE 14
OFFICE TALKS
How spaces make us feel
PAGE 18
GLOBAL OFFICE VIEWS
BIG headquarters in Copenhagen
PAGE 22
SHARING DESKS
New Work on workation
Balancing style and purpose
Offices are becoming increasingly stylish, sometimes even ending up on Pinterest
and Instagram. But what do branding and thousands of followers actually mean
for businesses? And how much do their staff really benefit?
Page 04
PAGE 24
SHOWROOMS
Instagrammable office ideas
2
Legal notice
Publisher: Wiesner-Hager Möbel GmbH, Linzer Straße 22, 4950 Altheim, Austria
T: +43 (0)7723 460-0, altheim@wiesner-hager.com, wiesner-hager.com
Concept and editorial: Wiesner-Hager, Bazzoka Creative
Layout: Bazzoka Creative, bazzoka.creative.com
Guest author: Wojciech Czaja | Typing and printing errors reserved | Issue: 03/2025
concept
online
Photos on cover and page 2: Masquespacio, Luis Beltran

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ALL
THAT
GLITTERS.
E D I T O R I A L
in a minute
Real talk about instagrammable
workplaces.
The social media platform Instagram has some two billion users worldwide, 73 percent of whom use it daily.* It
might sound a lot, but if you’re a user yourself, you’ll know it’s definitely plausible. Quickly – perhaps mindlessly –
scrolling through Instagram has become as second nature as checking your e-mails. No wonder, then, that the
Instagram world is weaving its way deeper and deeper into the fabric of our lives and even starting to shift how
we design our workspaces. Offices are becoming increasingly extravagant and trendy, giving off the vibe of a stylish
photoshoot backdrop. In a word, they’re becoming instagrammable. But while it might sound like a cool approach
at the surface, look a little deeper and you’ll discover the various layers and criticisms beneath. Namely in terms of
corporate culture. In this issue of concept, we’ll look at this glam office strategy from every angle, taking a deep
dive behind the filters.
You might have noticed that our magazine has a new design to go with its new name. This revised format will
allow us to go into further depth with our content so we can continue to give you a wealth of creative inspiration
surrounding the world of New Work.
I hope you enjoy taking some offline time to read it and get inspired!
Photo: Bazzoka Creative
* Source: Statista, Techjury
3
Laura Wiesner

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BALANCING
STYLE
W O R K R E L O A D E D
AND PURPOSE
Photo: Masquespacio, Luis Beltran
5

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Offices are becoming increasingly
stylish, sometimes even ending up on
Pinterest and Instagram. But what do
branding and thousands of followers
actually mean for businesses?
And how much do their staff
really benefit?
Ana Milena Hernández Palacios and Christophe Penasse
founded Masquespacio in 2010.
W O R K R E L O A D E D
A perfectly draped curtain in lavender grey, pistachio gold
and copper metallic paint, three dusky pink proteas peering
curiously out of a ceramic vase. As if this pastel-hued, sugary-sweet,
macaroon-coloured scene wasn’t enough, Ana and
Christophe – she in rich magenta, he in a peachy-melon with
strawberry red knees – pose in front of an icy-blue brick wall.
Every little choreographed detail works perfectly together.
Say cheese! And click! Muchas gracias!
“We work with the power of aesthetics. We’re architects and interior designers
– beauty is our capital”, says Christophe Penasse, who founded the
Valencia-based designer studio Masquespacio with his partner Ana Milena
Hernández Palacios in 2010. The studio’s name sums up the pair’s mission
perfectly: Masquespacio, a portmanteau that translates as ‘more than space’.
“And that’s exactly what we do. Just constructing and furnishing spaces isn’t
enough for us. We want to create experiences and unforgettable imagery
through form, colour and material. Scenes that bring us joy, inspire us, and
evoke a sense of passion and zest for life.”
Their projects so far include bars, hotels, restaurants, boutiques, hair salons
and car showrooms, as well as offices, coworking spaces and furniture design
for corporates. The pair have almost 232,000 Instagram followers and have
been crowned Designers of the Year by both Elle Décoration and New York
Times Magazine. “We primarily generate our publicity through blogs, design
platforms and social media channels”, says Christophe. “It’s often how
constructors and clients find us. Business is going well.”
The two frequently receive enquiries from prospective customers that are
full of screenshots from old projects, mood-boards packed with links and
images saved from Pinterest: This is exactly what they want! If there’s an
instagrammable backdrop and a fabulous Pinterest wall to boot, even better!
“We’re lucky in that we know the market well and already have an extensive
portfolio covering a huge range of asset classes to draw on”, says Christophe.
“However, we sometimes have to spend a lot of time convincing our
customers not to simply copy something that has been done before.”
The risk there is twofold. On the one hand, following a copy-paste approach
often sees you fall out of fashion – instead of being on trend, you just end
up creating a dated facsimile. On the other, says the expert, there’s the even
bigger risk of creating imagery and values that don’t fit your company. “And
then the whole Insta-aesthetic is for nothing as you end up destroying your
own brand.” A short pause, then he adds: “Honestly, yes, aesthetics are wonderful.
But creating an iconic Instagram backdrop can sometimes be a curse.”
Ana and Christophe themselves have left their own studio in Valencia’s
historic centre, despite it being adored by the media and reproduced a
thousand times over. Today, the two are based in an old villa with a patio on
the outskirts of the city, living and working under the same roof with a team
of seven employees coming and going. The address is kept top secret to stop
the influencers and Instagram clout hunters from finding it. The kitchen and
brick walls in the workroom are the same sky blue and nougat brown as the
Cabinette coworking space, a Masquespacio project from 2020. Copying
might be a bad idea, Christophe explains, but you can still draw inspiration
from your own history.
A question for the designer: Is this multitude of colours just for the photos?
Just a marketing gimmick for the owners? Another feed to satisfy the
230,000 followers? “No! Absolutely not! Getting the style right, striking
the right balance between audacity and restraint – it’s a tightrope you have
to walk again and again from project to project, from site to site”, says
Christophe. “And we’re yet to have fallen from it. We’ve had good feedback
so far from the Cabinette coworking space – the users say they can really
focus on their work there.” And the golden bathroom at the Lynk & Co Club
in Madrid? “What can I say? People love it!”
New York designer Laetitia Gorra, founder of Roarke Design Studio, also
likes working with colours and is not afraid of creating photogenic motifs.
The headquarters she designed for the cereal manufacturer Magic Spoon – a
low-budget project on the 14th floor of an old brick building in SoHo, Manhattan,
that she completed in 2023, made it to the cover of the New York
Times Magazine. The title of the article: Can instagrammable office design
lure young workers back? We call New York and ask the designer ourselves.
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„Can instagrammable
office design lure
young workers back?“
“Yes, provided the design is authentic, reflects the
company’s values and is focused more inwardly on
the team than outwardly on the media.” There is no
return-to-office mandate at Magic Spoon. Many staff
have continued to work from home, but significantly
more have started to come in since the office was
renovated, says Laetitia. “I think that even with the
low budget, we’ve been able to pair high-end furniture
with select vintage pieces from eBay to create
spaces that people enjoy being in. The fact that we
incorporated colours from the Magic Spoon range and
reflected a different one of its cereals in each room
makes it feel authentic, appealing on an emotional
level.”
W O R K R E L O A D E D
Masquespacio – old studio
Bold colours: velvet, brass and plants were the key
ingredients in the old Masquespacio office in
downtown Valencia.
Masquespacio – Cabinette
An Insta-dream of sky blue and nougat: colours like
those here in the Cabinette coworking space inspire
people, says Masquespacio.
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W O R K R E L O A D E D
Masquespacio – old studio
Offices can definitely stand a touch of storytelling and
instagrammability.
But does the Insta factor actually increase efficiency and concentration in an
office? “I’m positive it does”, says Viennese designer Thomas Feichtner. “The
showmanship of the Google gondolas, Facebook swings and Microsoft slides
is long gone. That was yesterday. Today, employer branding is a much more
subtle thing. And each little morsel of beauty you give your employees, every
slight improvement over various shades of grey, is a visual and emotional
way of showing them your appreciation. If you opt to bring in professional
design advice and don’t make the mistake of simply streaking your logo
colours across the wall, you’ve already taken a huge step.”
Traditional criteria such as privacy, well-being, ergonomics and workstation
technology still have their place, no doubt about it. But with the emancipation
of Generation Z, the strengthening labour market on the employee
side, and the increasingly purpose-driven workforce striving for beautiful,
fulfilling, meaningful work, experts like the auditors KPMG Advisory agree
that employers cannot afford to ignore it. Comfortable and visually appealing
office design that demonstrates your appreciation of your staff is essential.
And if everything (including the phone camera) clicks and the photo ends up
on Instagram like all the chicest bars, hotels and holiday destinations, all the
better.
Masquespacio – Lynk & Co Madrid
Wojciech Czaja
8

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ASKING
„
2 GENERATIONS
What should an
instagrammable office
look like?
Photos: Sabine Kneidinger, Joachim Haslinger
A S K I N G 2 G E N E R A T I O N S
Mag. a Isabella Lehner
Member of the Management Board, Oberbank AG
Dr. Franz Gasselsberger
CEO, Oberbank AG
An instagrammable office is probably the dream for any social media
manager or content creator. Even here in the banking sector, social
media is becoming increasingly omnipresent. A modern office makes it
easier to create content from the heart of the action and provide authentic
insights into the workday. Modern design, good lighting, a versatile
workspace, instagrammable details such as colourful walls, inspiring
meeting zones and themed photo walls – displaying the corporate
branding, for example – make the office more visually interesting.
But let’s not forget the tech!
We all spend a great deal of the day at work, in our own office. It’s
where you should be performing at your best. It should be a good
working environment for you personally, but at the same time, a place
that exudes professionalism and creativity – where your colleagues and
visitors feel at home, too. Oberbank has a considerable art collection.
We decorate the offices and our branches with our paintings and sculptures.
We rolled out a new, modern branch design in 2024, complete
with highly modernised and hopefully inspiring workstations. Whether
it’s instagrammable or not is in the eye of the beholder.
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ALL
FUN &
GAMES?
Why a marketplace
is the
beating heart
of the office.
Photo: HGEsch
O F F I C E L I F E
Zalando headquarters, Friedrichshain
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A quick coffee with the team, a relaxed
lunch break or a casual meeting. In the
office, a marketplace acts as the central
meeting place for all your employees
and visitors. It offers a wealth of creative
freedom in terms of design, as
well as sources of entertainment
for its users.
In the heart of the hub.
You’ll generally find two basic zones in a modern New Work office. The home
base is where the quiet, concentrated work happens. But the hub is the
opposite – a public zone that is normally louder and livelier, and with a more
creative interior design. As a space concept for hub areas, a marketplace often
acts as a central meeting place for informal conversations between colleagues
and a place to relax during breaks.
Office design as a pivotal selling point.
A survey of German office workers by CBRE showed that high-quality office
design and versatile working environments play a key role when it comes to
making workplaces more attractive. The comfort factor is becoming increasingly
pivotal. Modern, open offices designed for agile working, complete
with spaces for networking and communication are, according to CBRE, a real
selling point over working from home (CBRE Live-Work-Shop Report 2023).
Playful. Creative. Versatile.
That’s a marketplace summed up in three words. But does that mean cozy
and homelike? Lively and urban? Biophilic? Or with more of a loungeesque
club vibe? Marketplace design styles are as infinite as they are creative.
You can pull different elements together to create atmospheres ranging from
youthful and fun to sophisticated and elegant. Furnishings, colours, materials,
art, entertainment, plants, aromas, acoustics and lighting can all be leveraged
in the design. A marketplace often incorporates elements such as pool tables,
dartboards, or other gaming equipment.
Focus on the corporate culture.
As communication-stimulating and light-hearted as that all may seem, a
marketplace and everything within it must still align with the corporate
culture or else it starts to look like a misplaced façade that never gets used.
Sooner or later, internal tensions start to arise if the interior design doesn’t
reflect the company’s true spirit. The concern many employers have about
making things too comfortable, and thus impacting efficiency, is unfounded.
Everyone benefits from having attractively designed meeting spaces away
from the traditional desk environment – places to regenerate or switch off
with a quick game. Office interior design is no longer just about the sum of
its workstations. It’s about creating defined areas for collaboration and team
building – just like a traditional marketplace.
Facts &
figures:
55 %
55 percent of office workers questioned saw a versatile
office environment and better design and aesthetics
at work as factors that would make them go
into the office more often.
60 %
60 percent of the companies questioned want to
implement more heavily activity-based workplace
strategies and more versatile working environments.
Source: CBRE Live-Work-Shop Report 2023
Source: CBRE Occupier Survey 2023
O F F I C E L I F E
11

I N
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SYNC
O F F I C E L I F E
WITH
Foto: Stocksy
LIGHT
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The office of the future will be built on
the foundations of light and nature – biophilic
lighting design is becoming a key
driver of productivity, health and wellbeing,
and visual style. But what effect
does light have on people, exactly?
Workspaces are in a state of constant change. Where fluorescent
tubes once flickered, workspaces flooded with natural light are
becoming increasingly popular. We’re beginning to see nature as
an ally. Biophilic design is a concept that transforms workspaces
into living spaces. It creates environments that stimulate the body
and mind, lower stress, and create harmony between people and
the spaces they work in. At the heart of this approach is something
very simple: Light. We already know that it has a big impact on our
well-being and our body clocks. “Concentrated solo working, workshops,
online meetings, relaxed discussions are all going on in the
same place. But how does that work when the lighting is always
the same? The answer is simple. Light has to be adaptable – based
on the day, the context, the activity involved, and the users of the
space”, explains Andreas Henrich, Head of Application and Product
Management Office at Trilux, in an interview with the industry
magazine Licht. Combining natural light with artificial options that
imitate it has a positive impact on people’s sense of well-being in
indoor spaces.
Since the discovery of retinal ganglion cells – nerve cells that take
visual information from the retina to the brain – more than
25 years ago, science has shown that light has a deep impact on
the human body. Far more than just helping our vision, it also regulates
the release of hormones such as serotonin and melatonin.
Human-centric lighting (HCL) helps us maintain a healthy sleepwake
rhythm over each 24-hour period. It mimics the ebbs and flows
of natural light to help regulate the body’s internal clock. Cool light
in the morning and throughout the day helps us feel energised and
concentrated. In the evening, warm white shades help us relax.
According to the Human Spaces Report, a near-natural working environment
with exposure to daylight boosts creativity by 15 percent
and productivity by up to six percent.
New Work in a new light: the office of the future is a lively space. One
that unites technology and nature, functionality and emotion, work and
life. Biophilic lighting design is the element that brings rooms to life,
supports our biological rhythms and creates an atmosphere of balance.
Bright and inviting offices keep us healthier – and are incredibly photogenic,
too. We like.
What employees want:*
20 %
44 %
workstations with
natural light
19 %
a quiet working
environment
nature and plants
GOOD TO KNOW
Human-Centric Lighting (HCL)
is based on scientific evidence that light not only impacts
our bodies in terms of our vision, but also on a deep biological
and emotional level.
O F F I C E L I F E
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* Source: Human Spaces Report

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O F F I C E T A L K S
IMPACTS
Photos: Bazzoka Creative
AND
UNWANTED SIDE-
EFFECTS
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Colours, lighting, materials – how soft skills in
architecture influence our sense of well-being.
Rooms change us. They influence how we think, feel and act. Often
without us even noticing. Martina Püringer, an architect and expert
in residential and architectural psychology, has spent years researching
this intangible symbiosis between people and the spaces
they’re in. For Püringer, the key to creating rooms that make us feel
comfortable lies in soft skills – influences we feel largely subconsciously
that go far beyond floorplans and functionality. A conversation
about well-being, productivity and healthy interior design.
A harmonious atmosphere. A room tailored to your needs. One you feel
comfortable in and like to spend time in. It sounds so simple, but it’s
actually a huge challenge. While studying architecture at TU Wien, Martina
Püringer started to feel that interior design planning didn’t focus enough
on the people who would actually be using the space. “It was all very
tech-heavy. It wasn’t until I attended an anthropology lecture that I started
to understand the impacts spaces have on people’s behaviour. It sparked a
fire in me.”
O F F I C E T A L K S
She shares her findings from the world of residential and architectural
psychology with a wider audience through her work and on her Wohnsinn
& Raumglück podcast with Hamburg-based colleague Erika Mierow. She
wants to raise awareness of how rooms impact us on an emotional level.
“We spend over 90 percent of our lives indoors. So it’s incredibly important
to understand how rooms influence our feelings and actions.” Oftentimes,
she says, the user doesn’t notice exactly what factors might be missing, but
they know the environment has an impact on them. “We often subconsciously
know whether a room suits us or not. Sometimes it’s just a subtle
feeling we can’t name, but we should pay more attention to that intuition.”
The expert explains that our brains process around 95 percent of what we
perceive about a room without us even knowing. Factors such as aromas,
colours and light have an immediate impact. She references scientific studies,
including one from Roger Ulrich from the 1980s that showed that patients in
hospital rooms with a view of trees recovered more quickly than those who
could only see a brick wall. “The atmosphere of a room always has an impact
on us – whether we’re at the office, at home or in public buildings.”
Martina Püringer,
residential and architectural psychologist
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O F F I C E T A L K S
But what exactly are these architectural soft skills? Püringer compares
them to their human equivalents – difficult to measure, but absolutely
essential. Soft skills help us to recognise the requirements people have of a
room and then implement them positively down the line.
“At its heart, it’s about the atmosphere. The interplay between colours,
light, acoustics and materials determines whether we feel safe and comfortable.”
Having options for customisation is also pivotal. “People have to
be able to adapt spaces to suit them, whether by bringing personal items
into their workspace or by having furniture they can rearrange.” More than
that, well-designed working environments not only boost concentration and
communication, but also our health. “A well-designed room tailored to our
requirements automatically makes us feel comfortable – and therefore more
productive, creative and motivated.“ Remote and hybrid working models
are bringing individual workspace customisations to the fore. “When rooms
are well designed, we feel confident and are more successful. This sense of
well-being isn’t the icing on the cake, but a vital requirement for performing
at the top of our game and staying healthy long-term”, explains the expert.
A workplace should offer zones for different activities. Places to withdraw
and work with greater focus, but also areas that facilitate more informal
discussion. Trend colours, like those seen on social media feeds, should be
used sparingly so that they have an impact beyond just keeping up with
the latest fashions. The Pantone Color of the Year 2025, the warm, earthy
Mocha Mousse, works very well with other colours, adding a sense of calm
and naturalness. Unlike the colour red, for example. Studies show that it
raises our heartrate and puts us in a state of high alert. “In the short-term,
this can make us feel invigorated, but over time it often causes unease and
stress.”
„You can’t
escape the impact
of a room.“
16

DI Martina Püringer
concept
Green and blue tones, on the other hand, offer a pleasant contrast. They make
us feel more balanced and calmer, making them perfect for offices. “Colours
don’t work on their own”, adds Püringer, “but always in harmony with materials
and light.” Natural hues and fabrics like wood, cork, stone and plants
create a healthy environment, lower stress, boost concentration and have a
positive impact on our well-being.
GOOD TO KNOW
Residential & Architectural Psychology
uses scientific methods to analyse the impact rooms,
buildings and the environment have on people.
„The question of
which colours will
work best, and in
what intensity, is
highly dependent on
the room’s function.“
Püringer has the perfect example of what not to do. “A monotone room
without colours, natural materials or sound-absorbing elements, with only
hard surfaces and unilateral ceiling lighting feels cold, acoustically stressful
and pretty uninviting, even if you’re looking out over greenery and sunny
weather.”
As for the question of what the first step to creating a healthy room should
be, she answers with a plea for greater awareness. “We have to understand
that rooms shape how we think, feel and behave. Then we can work with
experts to create living and working spaces that not only work for us, but also
inspire us.”
O F F I C E T A L K S
And what about her own office? It reflects her personality: “Natural, creative,
authentic – a place where work and life come together in harmony. Because
at the end of the day, it’s the room’s soft skills that give us the sense of
feeling at home, whether that’s in our own four walls or at work.” When we
ask if she thinks her office is instagrammable, she laughs: “I don’t know. It’s
just important that I feel at home in there.”
Residential & Architectural Psychology
Raum:evolution
• Expert in residential and architectural psychology
(Austrian Academy of Psychology in Vienna)
• Member of the Board at the Institut für
Wohn- und Architekturpsychologie in Graz
• Presenter on the residential and architectural psychology
Podcast Wohnsinn & Raumglück
WATCH THE
VIDEO INTER-
VIEW HERE
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GO BIG
COPENHAG
G L O B A L O F F I C E V I E W S
The new BIG offices in Copenhagen.
Hello, world
improvement HQ.
Photos: Laurian Ghinitoiu, Rasmus Hjortshoj
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IN
EN
A hidden jewel in the city:
The new BIG offices offer both
indoor and outdoor working spaces.
When designing his new headquarters
in the Port of Copenhagen, architect
Bjarke Ingels took influence from
M. C. Escher and his favourite baroque
architect Piranesi. The shell is made
from low carbon concrete.
It almost looks as if the city’s legendary Little Mermaid grew weary of
the camera-touting tourists, left her spot on the rocks, and swam over
and stacked a pair of grey blocks one on top of the other to create a
27-metre-high building in amongst the Port’s cranes, warehouses and
shipping containers. A building that seems to be made of K’nex, but in
concrete instead of metal. Welcome to the new headquarters for Danish
architectural studio Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), whose move to the tip of
the Sundmolen pier at Sundkaj 165 not only resulted in the creation of
a new office building, but a three-dimensional, sculptural business card
that wows tourists and locals alike from far across the port.
Bjarke Ingels, the Backstreet Boy or Pet Shop Boy of the architecture
world, rocketed to fame some 15 years ago and has earned a reputation
as one of the world’s most well-known, in-demand architects. He
has built thousands of achingly cool high-rises in Frankfurt, New York,
Vancouver, Quito and Singapore, created surreal museums that seem to
emerge from their natural environments at the most remote locations
on the planet, and managed to score some famous names as clients –
including Lego, Google, San Pellegrino, Galeries Lafayette and the Swiss
watchmaker Audemars Piguet – with his creativity and audacity.
And now this. Under the skin of the seven-storey creativity factory, which
achieved DGNB Gold status while still in its design phase, you’ll find
green concrete developed in collaboration with Unicon, and cement that
has partially been replaced with lime and calcinated clay. This innovative
switch reduced the building’s carbon emissions by 25 percent. It also
incorporates technologies such as solar power, geothermal energy and
concrete core activation. All in all, this covers 84 percent of the energy
required to heat the building and 100 percent of that needed to cool it.
“This property is a hidden jewel of the city in every respect”, says Ingels.
“What was once a car park is now a building that is stimulating development,
a sculpture you can explore, its exterior is inspired by Denmark’s
beautiful coastal landscapes and its interior by my favourite baroque
architect, Giovanni Battista Piranesi. The ground-level park covers some
1,500 square metres, the plants within it mirroring what would once
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G L O B A L O F F I C E V I E W S
have grown naturally here before humans came along and built the port.
For me, this building is an homage to art and nature, to the past and the
future, to indigenous life and new technologies.”
While the public can walk up to the roof terrace via external garden steps
with wooden planking and seating areas, the interior conceals a wild,
interconnected topography of concrete, light strips, dusky grey, diagonally
slanted galleries and steel staircases that sit seemingly higgledy-piggledy
across the space, connecting one level to the next with abandon. What
at first glance appears to be a dark, desaturated drawing by M. C. Escher
due to the complex geometries and a single steel supporting column
in the centre is, in reality, an open, heterogenous working environment
spread across seven floors. Around 300 of the Bjarke Ingels Group’s
700-strong global workforce are based at the new BIG headquarters.
But it doesn’t feel like this many people are packed in at all. Instead of
spreading the permanent and temporary workstations evenly across each
storey, the architect chose to vary the density from floor to floor and to
balance out the tighter computer-based working areas, where people sit
back-to-back, with generous airy spaces decorated with models, lounge
areas and acoustically insulated meeting zones.
“People are governed by routine”, says Ingels. “But at BIG, we aim to
push the boundaries of normal with every project and draw the unusual
out of the everyday. It’s about making the world better and more beautiful.
Not just theoretically, but also practically.” A noble approach. And so
this is it – the world improvement HQ.
Wojciech Czaja
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The huge number
of people is
quickly disguised
here as the desk
density varies
from floor to floor –
G L O B A L O F F I C E V I E W S
some with
tighter computer
working areas
and some with
generous open
spaces.
21

NEW WORK
AND
WANDERLUST
Workation – working away from home in a holiday destination. –
What kind of potential might be waiting to be tapped in a place
that makes work and leisure equally inspiring?
S H A R I N G D E S K S
Photos: Bazzoka Creative
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We take a look behind a New Work
model that is becoming far more than
just a trend. Cape Town, a pulsing
metropolis and a bucket list city for
many tourists, embodies the New Work
mentality in its sunniest form. But what
happens when you blur the boundaries
between the desk and the beach?
Katharina Ilgner, Head of Marketing at the successful Berlin-based
startup MYNE, which offers holiday properties on a managed co-ownership
basis, tells us about her workation experiences in Cape Town.
Workationing is a concept you’ve lived in practice yourself. What
inspired you to take your first workation in Cape Town, and what
was it that drew you there?
The grim weather in Berlin and Salzburg, especially in the winter, made me
want to try something new. In Cape Town, I start the day with some exercise
by the sea – biking, running or walking. These long, sunny days give me
so much more energy. The community here is another reason I keep coming
back. Many friends and acquaintances also work remotely nearby, and the
wealth of coworking spaces makes it easy to be productive.
What do people need to consider when taking a workation?
Good preparation is crucial. Fast internet and a second screen are the
basics. And you need discipline. I’ve got that from my experience working
remotely. I’m in Salzburg the majority of the time, then spend a couple of
days a month at the Berlin office. Workationing has become a real New
Work model.
Do you see an important benefit in it with respect to attracting
young talent to companies?
S H A R I N G D E S K S
What makes Cape Town so unique as a workation destination?
The city has it all: delicious food and opportunities to get out into nature,
and the most wonderful people. There’s also only a small time difference,
which is ideal for my working rhythm. I start earlier in the day and can get
my head down working before my team comes online in Germany.
Definitely! Remote and flexible working models are important for drawing
in talent from around the world. Onboarding and regular meetings in the
office are still crucial to team cohesion. Our MYNE group in Berlin is a great
example of that. Structures like this encourage long-term loyalty and motivation.
And it makes work fun. For us, it’s also important to create working
environments that offer high-speed internet and comfort.
There’s so much to do in Cape Town. How does your perception of
work change if you’re living in a place that blurs the boundaries
between your job and leisure time?
I set clear boundaries on the days I take as leave, but I’m available in an
emergency. On workdays I use the energy from my morning exercise and
the sun for focused working. Our accommodation has plenty of room for it,
and I also take advantage of the coworking spaces. This physical structure
helps me to stay concentrated. Having a clear working process also helps,
as do my routines like regular video calls with the rest of the team.
How would you sum up your experiences in a single sentence?
With discipline, clear processes and the energy I draw from the environment,
remote working is not only more productive for me, but also more
fulfilling – an experience that strengthens me and gives me new inspiration
for my work. We sell holiday homes that give people opportunities to work
remotely, so I live that dream myself and get new ideas at the same time.
23

concept
THREE IDEAS
FOR PHOTOGENIC
OFFICES.
S H O W R O O M S
Okay, okay. So do we all
want photogenic offices now?
Got it. But bear in mind that
there’s still a heavy push for
change in the office environment,
regardless. We’re moving
towards thinking about
working options, rather than
traditional workstations and
workplaces.
Digitalisation is encouraging decentralised ways of working.
Companies are reacting to the wants and expectations
of the new generation of workers – flexible working
models, flat organisational structures and attractive office
environments. And this, in turn, is leading to the creation
of new office areas and formats. Activity-based working is
the current hot trend. Companies are providing employees
with differentiated, varied work environments that create
a supportive setting adaptable to the respective tasks. Our
experience shows that the right office concept can help
you boost motivation and productivity long-term. Here are
three room concepts that not only look good, but are also
highly effective in terms of their layouts.
24

concept
S H O W R O O M S
1
Coffee to stay:
LEAN COFFEE
SPACE
LEAN COFFEE FURNITURE RECOMMENDATIONS:
nooi barstools
The stackable barstool can be stored away compactly
when not needed.
Openly discussing important topics in a relaxed atmosphere – this
is the basic principle of lean coffee, a unique new meeting format.
Lean coffee is a structured meeting method with no pre-defined
agenda and in which participation is voluntary. It relies on group
dynamics and collaboration, particularly when it’s about projects
that are just getting started. The design of the space should
therefore be equally unpressured. Furniture that allows people to
stand during meetings is perfect as it encourages communication.
Visualisation equipment such as whiteboards (increasingly digital
ones) and flip charts can be used to record what is discussed, and
screens used to present. And of course there is one absolute musthave:
a coffee machine.
m.zone Hot Desk
Standing-height meeting furniture underscores the
informal nature of a lean coffee meeting.
25

concept
S H O W R O O M S
2
Pssst, let’s concentrate:
LIBRARY
LIBRARY FURNITURE RECOMMENDATIONS:
float_fx cabinet
The frontless cabinet system makes
a great bookcase.
No, this isn’t (just) about books! Although most firms in the digital
age no longer need the traditional functionalities of a library, we
still love their vintage charm. They offer an ideal place of retreat –
off the beaten track of the dynamic, occasionally hectic environment
of the office. The creative options are endless: cosy wing chairs
are equally part of the scene as modern cafeteria furniture. And of
course, the characteristic library shelves are indispensable.
grace padded furniture
The chairs create a comfy, cosy ambience.
26

concept
3
Time to chat:
ENTRANCE
CAFÉ &
RECEPTION
A traditional reception area can be transformed into a working café,
with a counter instead of a reception desk. Sitting and waiting was
yesterday – today we work, meet and communicate. The entrance
café is a public zone. How public is up to the individual company.
Visitors and business partners can get comfy and prepare for meetings
or simply relax. Some companies even go one step further and
open the entrance bar area to the general public – people who have
nothing to do with the business.
S H O W R O O M S
ENTRANCE CAFÉ AND RECEPTION FURNITURE RECOMMENDATIONS:
m.zone Talk barstools
The barstool creates a homely atmosphere.
pulse lounge chairs
The high-quality bucket seats are inviting yet offer privacy.
You can find more
photogenic room
ideas in our
Think New Work
planning brochure.
macao bistro tables
The versatility of these tables makes them
perfect for any working café.
27

RETHINK YOUR OFFICE!
Inspiration. Creativity. Interiors. Our Think New Work planning brochure suggests
attractive new room ideas and office concepts for modern working environments.
Request planning brochure here.
wiesner-hager.com