Ramboll Engineering, Architecture, and Management Consulting

Places for Collaboration in a Time of Change

New Work, PLY part of KINZO, Berlin, 2022

Ramboll commissioned two work environments at very different locations: the historic Wilhelmhallen in Berlin and the new headquarters at the Marzipanfabrik in Hamburg. Both projects embody the same philosophy—viewing the office as a place for exchange, knowledge transfer, and interaction—while responding to entirely different spatial conditions and cultural contexts.

RambollI Berlin I Wilhelmhallen

At the Wilhelmhallen, a former iron foundry, a work environment has been created that offers space for exchange, concentration, and new forms of collaboration. Rather than rigid spatial layouts, the concept is characterized by open sightlines, flexible uses, and multifunctional areas. The result is a place that adapts to the needs of its users—not the other way around.

Communication as a Spatial Principle

The entrance area was designed as an open café. Instead of a traditional reception area, two spacious kitchen counters welcome employees, guests, and chance encounters. Surrounded by plant-lined benches, swings, lounges, and flexible workshop spaces, a lively hub emerges that connects both floors.

A subdued color palette of grays, wood, and exposed existing materials sets the stage for the space. Only carefully placed orange accents serve as visual landmarks and lend the surfaces an unexpected vibrancy. Acoustically effective ceiling panels, wood wool panels, and recycled PET elements enhance the quality of the space and ensure that an open layout does not automatically mean a noisy environment.
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Ramboll Headquarters I Hamburg

For Ramboll’s new headquarters in Hamburg’s Marzipanfabrik, a workspace covering approximately 3,000 m² was created for nearly 190 employees. The goal was not to accommodate as many workstations as possible, but to create a place that brings people together—a place for exchange, collaboration, and everything that even the best video conference can only achieve to a limited extent.

First the culture, then the floor plan

The starting point was not the question of furniture or room sizes, but rather the way of working. Together with the employees, the requirements, wishes, and unique aspects of Ramboll’s culture were identified during an early phase of analysis and workshops. The design emerged from this corporate DNA—not the other way around.

The Woodworm as a Navigation System

The particular challenge posed by the space lay in its structure: a building wing over 200 meters long with great depth and an almost continuous sequence of rooms. A continuous wooden structure runs through the building along the central zone. The so-called “woodworm” connects phone booths, libraries, meeting rooms, lounges, and service areas into a cohesive ribbon of space. It organizes the space, provides orientation, and gives the office an identity that is immediately recognizable even without a wayfinding system.

Ramboll’s commitment to the environment, energy, and sustainability is consistently reflected in the space. Locally sourced wood, cork-based linoleum, recycled materials, and acoustic wood wool panels define the work environment. Exposed concrete ceilings, natural materials, and a minimalist design minimize resource use and lend the spaces an authentic feel.
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