naturE COworking

Introduction

The subject of the study is a conceptual design of an office building with co-working spaces, which is a response to the challenge of the Blend architectural competition. The proposed location is the Müggelberge hill region in the south-eastern part of Berlin, which provides an interesting context for a collective workplace, individual and group. According to the Cashman & Wakefiels European Coworking Hotspot Index report, Berlin is among the 10 European cities that can expect the greatest growth in the coworking sector in the future.

The topic was taken up due to a very interesting competition challenge - designing a coworking space in which the boundary between the built and natural environment is blurred. Research shows that the demand for collaborative workspace has been growing for several years. Collaborative environments, places that encourage lateral thinking, brainstorming, and teamwork, are becoming more and more attractive. In addition, the popularity of remote work is increasing, which is perceived as a new norm for global business. Despite its advantages, home-based activity is often associated with the negative effects of isolation and detachment from society, the lack of structures, and the feeling of being at work all day long, which significantly affects a person's productivity and health. An important element in the workplace is the right amount of greenery, which, according to research, not only increases creativity and productivity, but also positively affects the physical and mental health of employees. Being in nature relaxes and calms down and increases the level of happiness. An excellent facility responding to these challenges is an office building with coworking spaces, located outside the very center of Berlin, where in the process of shaping the space, special attention was paid to nature and its impact on the user.

The aim of the project is to create a building with an office function, with spaces dedicated to collaborative work, which would introduce nature into the interior and create a friendly environment stimulating creativity and productivity. The facility is to provide flexible work and rest places and adapt green areas to them. It is to provide not only office space but also the possibility of joint creative work, exchange of ideas and experiences between various industries, and a place to rest in nature. The building would be available to people who want to work individually and in groups. Its form is not to dominate the area and to fit into the existing environment as well as possible in order to preserve the existing greenery and integrate it into the layout. The scope of the study includes an office building with an internal courtyard and the plot area.

Idea

After carrying out the pre-design analyzes, taking into account the goals, several conclusions can be drawn. The building should integrate with the existing area, striving to maintain as much of the existing greenery as possible and not dominate its shape over the surroundings. It is important that the interference with the terrain is minimal and that the technological solutions adopted are balanced. An office building should take advantage of the good orientation of the plot to ensure optimal indoor conditions, good ventilation and lack of excessive sunlight, which can be very unfavorable in the summer months. At the same time, it is worth providing the user who spends time in the office space with the best possible contact with nature.

The main inspiration behind the assumption in its various aspects was nature and its impact on the user in the workplace. The form and materials used in the building give the impression that the boundary between the natural and built environment has been blurred. It is possible by adjusting the solid to the terrain so that it does not constitute a foreign element in the landscape, and by using only natural materials, taking into account their ecological baggage for the environment. In addition, the rounding of the corners and vertical divisions were to refer to the symbol of a tree, and the irregularity of the object to forms present in nature.

The inspiration in shaping contemporary workplaces was the desire to create a space that adapts to the current needs of the user and stimulates interactions with the environment and other people. In coworking spaces, repetition of elements is avoided, and the resources you have can be freely managed, creating a space best suited to your current needs. An important element is to ensure good climatic conditions - sunlight, ventilation, and humidity, as well as general well-being, which has an impact on the productivity of employees.

Design Assumptions

The main design assumption was to adjust the structure of the building to the existing environment so that it would not dominate the existing landscape and interfere with the area as little as possible. Due to the relatively large slope, the best solution is to create a building with a terraced structure that matches the profile of the plot. At the time of the climate crisis, the idea of sustainable construction was very important in the project; therefore, by appropriate shaping of the projection, almost all existing trees were preserved, and most of the materials used are of biological or recycled origin. The hardening of the area and the use of foreign plant species in this region were also limited. The second important element is the connection of the work space with the natural environment, which is why there is a lot of glazing in the body of the building, and green walls are also designed in the interior. The key role in the project is to be played by the possibility of adapting the coworking spaces according to the user's needs through a free plan and sliding walls.

Functional and spatial program

The functional and spatial program is based on providing all the necessary zones and functions for a joint work office building. It should include an underlined entrance area with a hall, open-plan offices to be able to freely arrange the space in which there will be additional rest areas, as well as sanitary, technical, and communication rooms. It is also planned to design a fragment of the greenhouse to introduce even more greenery into the interior and create an additional, interesting place for spending breaks at work and regeneration. An important element will also be to provide a place for recreation in the development area.

Summary

Thanks to the adopted solutions to shape the body in the form of terraces that go down the hill, it was possible to obtain a building that does not dominate the surroundings, fits the existing terrain, and the rounded edges place the building better in the context of the natural environment. By orienting the longer sides of the building in the east-west direction, it is possible to create optimal working conditions in the interior, which will positively affect the creativity and productivity of employees. Panoramic glazing opening onto greenery blurs the boundary between the building and its surroundings. This phenomenon is also exacerbated by the introduction of green walls into the interior and their use on parts of the exterior facade. The possibility of spending free time in the designed greenhouse or on the plot will be an additional advantage for users. Due to the fact that the building is mounted on poles, the interference with the terrain is smaller than in the case of using a foundation slab. Furthermore, opening the inner courtyard will help to properly ventilate it and will not close any pathways for smaller animals. The free shaping of co-working spaces will make the work space even more friendly.