Architecture firm Allen Kaufmann Architekten has completed a striking office interior design project for Signa Sports United on the 30th floor of Berlin's Upper West tower, a 118.8-meter-high building with 33 floors located next to Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche on Breitscheidplatz. The project, completed between 2021 and 2023 across two construction phases, demonstrates innovative solutions for high-rise office design challenges while creating a unified workspace for over 70 employees.
The design team, led by Justin Allen and Saskia Kaufmann with contributions from Tereza Kalíková, Daphne Tsagkataki-Tsiringa, and Aphrodite-Funmilayo Kouantri, took a holistic approach to the 1,000-square-meter space. Every element of the project, from the comprehensive floor plan to the smallest decorative details, was conceived and executed by the same architectural team. This unified vision extended to all 318 custom furniture pieces and objects, including desks, meeting tables, plant containers, and storage units, ensuring complete spatial and material coherence throughout the workspace.
The architectural challenge presented by the Upper West tower's structure became the foundation for the design concept. Most high-rise buildings feature a central structural concrete core paired with perimeter columns, which typically limits open floor plans and can consume up to half the usable area. This configuration often creates a solid block at the center that divides one side of the floor from the other. Allen Kaufmann Architekten transformed this structural constraint into a unifying design concept, creating an open, light-filled workspace that connects both halves of the floor through innovative spatial solutions.
The design strategy centered around creating a circulation belt between an expanded core and the workstations, effectively connecting the two naturally divided spaces. The architects strategically expanded the core to accommodate voids filled with essential facilities including water closets, break-out and huddle rooms, print stations, and lockers. Primary workstations and meeting areas were positioned near the façade to maximize access to natural light, while secondary spaces were attached to the core using clear glass screens and doors to maintain visual connectivity throughout the office environment.
Material selection played a crucial role in achieving the project's unified aesthetic vision. The same carefully curated material vocabulary runs consistently through both the architecture and custom furniture design, featuring mirrored surfaces, stainless steel, anodized aluminum, satin and clear glass, and coordinated green and grey fabrics. Warm ash elements appear to float above the floor, introducing tactile contrast to the predominantly sleek materials, while a continuous horizontal band of satin glass containers filled with plants absorbs natural light and brings organic elements into the workspace.
Specialized spaces within the office received distinct design treatments while maintaining overall coherence. Concrete columns throughout the space are clad with mirrors, strategically reflecting the outside environment and enhancing views of Berlin and the northern sky. Core spaces utilize dark metallic green paint and moss-inspired carpeting to create intimate settings for meetings and focused work. The water closets feature black linoleum flooring and metallic paint with subtle hints of glitter, creating a sense of retreat and visual interest in utilitarian spaces.
The completed 30th floor design successfully utilizes the building's massive structural core, concrete columns, shafts, and curving, asymmetrical façade to create a naturally lit and functionally diverse floor plan. The space includes two large meeting rooms, several break-out rooms, integrated phone booths, two fully equipped kitchens, three water closet areas, two flexible multi-function spaces, and both open and closed work zones. Despite being located on a high-tower floor naturally divided by a central structural core, employees work in a unified environment achieved through the strategic use of reflective surfaces and transparent spatial divisions.
The project represents a successful merger of architectural innovation with practical workplace functionality. The 30th floor of Upper West Berlin achieves a unique design goal of merging its physical space and users with the ephemeral qualities of clouds through semi-transparency and lightness. The design demonstrates how thoughtful architectural intervention can transform structural limitations into design opportunities, creating a workspace that feels both grounded in its urban context and elevated above the cityscape, offering employees an inspiring environment that reflects the dynamic nature of their sports-affiliated business operations.
