In a creative and start-up boomtown such as Berlin, there may already be co-working spaces galore across town, but none are as centrally located and majestic as TOG‘s newest outpost straddled alongside the elegant tree-lined Unter den Linden avenue. Occupying the landmark Linden Palais, a monumental structure by architect Kurt Berndt and originally built in 1908 as an office for railway enterprise Compagnie internationale des wagons-lits, it features a whopping 5,000 sqm. (53,820 sq.ft.) across seven floors. The building has not only been fully redeveloped by renowned practice David Chipperfield Architects, but also expanded with two modern floors on the existing structure.
The interior design, created by Copenhagen-based design practice Norm Architects, sees a spectrum of hues across the premises that’s inspired by the colours of the original entrance ceiling—a palette of heavy colours brought out by marble, gold, wood, and stone, but tweaked into subtle colour references to maintain an overall minimal look. Also, each colour serves as a base for the interior in each of the floors, but also functions as a way to navigate. Interestingly, TOG‘s second branch in the German capital comes together through two separate concepts that make up a whole. The first takes inspiration from the surrounding environment of Under den Linden, mimicking the rhythm of the trees lined up along the historic avenue through columns and greenery in the spacious lobby, oozing an urban outdoor feel.
Rows of pillars mimic the thoroughfare’s many trees, while the theme of the alley extends inside shared office spaces, defining the different zones of the ground floor. An added interior colonnade creates a transition between open public space and more enclosed work zones. Large floor-to-ceiling windows flood the open-plan rooms with daylight and make lighting most of the day redundant. Meticulously balanced acoustics provide optimal conditions for conferences, conversations, or video calls. The building’s second concept is that of the so-called Heritage Apartment, and captured by herringbone parquet flooring, detailed paneling, arched windows, and heavy drapes.
It may all sound very ‘classic’, but nothing could be more further from the truth, given the fact that the settings are dotted with graphic panels, minimal inbuilt elements, and contemporary interpretations of classic lamps and chandeliers. Artworks adorn the walls and marble plinths on display, while rugs and bookcases add a homey feel. The new TOG co-working space offers spaces ranging from 2 to 95 workstations and office spaces of diverse sizes which can be rented flexibly and adapted to changing requirements at any time. Additionally, there are hot desks, meeting rooms, private offices and lounge areas. Letting off steam? Check. The building also offers open kitchens, a spacious roof terrace and a courtyard on the first floor.
TOG
Unter den Linden 40 (Mitte)
10117 Berlin
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
