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Europe’s largest software company has a new digital campus in QH Track, located in the heart of the Quartier Hei-destrasse in Berlin. Designed by SCOPE Architekten, this future-oriented office space is a place for communication, collaboration and creativity, embodying the idea of a working world that is alive and connected, while at the same time reflecting the historical heritage of the capital. Approximately 1,000 employees will carry out research on cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and blockchain.

One of the most innovative new areas of the city within walking distance of Berlin Central Station is currently under construction: Europacity. The Quartier Heidestraße is beginning to take shape here – a newly designed urban world to live, work and shop in. The dynamic district includes a number of urban landmarks, one of which is particularly conspicuous: QH Track designed by EM2N.

The campus realised by SCOPE Architekten for the world’s third largest soft-ware company listed on the stock exchange is located in building parts A-C of the distinctive building unit. 29,000 square meters of office space extend over 13 floors. A two-storey foyer can be found in building part A, which accommo-dates a reception and espresso bar with adjoining events area. A seven-me-tre-high brick wall conveys a first impression of the interior design concept, focussed on the connection of digital and physical space.

A single flight of stairs leads to the cafeteria on the first floor. Apart from offering a great variety of food, the modern canteen is a place for social interaction, informal communication and spontaneous meetings. Employees can choose from various sitting options or book tables for business lunches. The first floor also accommodates the IT Link Center, a support and exhibi-tion room for IT equipment.

The office floors (2nd-5th as well as 7th-11th) provide a total of 1,000 work places and ideal areas for all kinds of work: closed cellular offices for 2, 4 or 8, flexible open office areas, think tanks and various seating opportunities for brainstorming and spontaneous exchange.

In addition to six different types of meeting rooms, there are individual and inspiring work spaces, called “specials” that were co-designed by users, such as the Game Room Digital/Analog or Ball Bath.

Floors 12 and 13 of the campus are dedicated to customer and training areas. Conference rooms and break areas with panoramic view across Berlin can be found here. An open staircase connects the Customer Experience Center to the training rooms, while a striking brick wall dominates the atmosphere.

Movement and panorama
The sixth floor is the heart of the building – an intermediate storey with multi-functional presentation rooms and a work café that promotes social exchange. A great variety of atmospheres and places to sit are available here, such as high benches with screens, flexible stands, lounges and wagons. Yet another alternative is offered by a roof terrace connecting the different buil-ding components of the campus – employees seeking tranquillity and respite with a view over the city have an area of 700 square meters at their disposal.

Campus culture 4.0
SCOPE Architekten’s interior design placed a special focus on campus culture. The aim was to create an inspiring, connected and open work environment that encourages communication, collaboration and creativity. A seamless connection of digital and physical space is at the center of the concept. Location and the immediate environment become guiding themes: the former train station Berlin Hamburger Bahnhof, the AEG turbine factory as well as the inland port Westhafen depict the development of Industry 1.0-3.0. The campus of the software company stands for Industry 4.0. Industrial-looking elements, innovative layering of materials, open ceilings and fair-faced con-crete convey this idea to the interior.

Brick wall: digital and physical worlds merge
A special highlight is the brick wall developed by SCOPE in collaboration with the media artist Thorsten Bauer and Intermediate Engineering. This permeates the idea of masonry digitally and breaks physical boundaries: in the foyer, the seven-metre-high installation extends across the entire height of the room and not only unbounds the limits of physical space, but also creates a connection between interior and exterior space as well as between the company and city.

Circular interior design
The interior design concept focusses on sustainability and follows the principle of circularity: sustainable or reused materials such as wall coverings made of natural rubber, 100% recycled plexiglass, carpet tiles made of upcycled fishing nets and industrial yarns as well as textile tabletops made of textile waste were used to minimise the ecological footprint of the building. Energy-efficient solu-tions such as intelligent lighting, energy-saving air conditioning and sustainable furniture further contribute towards saving resources.

Graphic tour of Berlin
The headquarter in Berlin is not only a future-oriented work place, but also a creative space for employees. Art installations in common areas and corridors create an inspiring environment. Striking locations of the city were moreover turned into a graphic city guide in a participative process with the users and used to decorate the whole building as wall art.

This modern tour of Berlin presents information about its history, fun facts and special anecdotes and emphasises the progressive character of the surface. The unique connection of architecture and art reflects the identity of the City of Berlin and the innovative spirit of the company, while reminding the employees of the diversity and creativity of the metropolis every day.

Adapted to employee needs and the requirements of a hybrid working world, SCOPE Architekten has created an office space designed for flexibility and further development. Seamless connection of digital and physical space, the integration of variety and diversity as well as focus on sustainability produce an inspiring work environment that enhances identification of employees with the company and makes a positive contribution to the urban environment of Berlin.

Design: SCOPE Architekten
Photography: Philip Kottlorz