PALMBERG designs Coca-Cola working worlds in Berlin!

Unique, fizzy and hard to resist. For decades, Coca-Cola has been thrilling people around the globe. Also in Germany – for more than 80 years – Coca-Cola is an integral part of everyday culture. The company’s new headquarters in Berlin-Friedrichshain show that Coca-Cola also represents sustainability and innovation.

In Germany, Coca-Cola consists of two different divisions: on the one hand Coca-Cola GmbH, a subsidiary of the Atlanta-based company (responsible for advertising, marketing and brand management) and, on the other hand, Erfrischungsgetränke AG, a joint venture of regional filling and distribution firms and, as sole concessionaire of "The Coca-Cola Company (Atlanta)", responsible for filling and distribution of Coca-Cola brand-name products in Germany. Since spring 2013, the new German headquarters, situated at the eastern Berlin harbor in Stralauer Allee 4, directly on the banks of the River Spree, have been using a seven-storey transparent office building with around 550 workplaces.

A house congenial to the brand

The clear construction of the compact main body is all around interrupted by broad glass fronts and wide window ribbons. In the southern façade, the storeys are even glazed in a ceiling-high way. Large ribbons of balconies and filigree steel shading elements protect from excessive sunlight. The favourable ratio of façade area to building volume therefore allows a high level of energy efficiency. An electrically controlled sun protection system at the outside e.g. shields from too intensive solar radiation. The flat roof was extensively greened and the lighting of the rooms is carried out by energy-saving lamps and adjusted by means of a presence detector in relation to needs. Additionally, environmentally friendly recyclable building materials were used for the construction.

A strong trademark like Coca-Cola does not only wish to present an individual and brand-based solution oriented to the public, but also wants to become visible inside the company for the own employees. The cubical shape of the building allows the arrangement of all offices along the outer façade. Around the core, in the centre of the building, the conference and ancillary rooms were built. On the ground floor, a welcoming reception and a canteen serve as waiting zone or meeting place for customers and staff.

n order to structure the office landscape in up-to-date functional areas, the development of modern office solutions was requested. The 9,300 square metre office space has been clearly structured and allows flexible dividable areas for all versions of workplaces. To meet the constant change and the requirements of today’s working worlds, the furnishing concept was implemented by means of sophisticated storage space furniture, functional tables and flexible conference systems. The professional workplace arrangement of the new Coca-Cola Berlin headquarters is characterized by the highest degree of ergonomic solutions.

"It was important for the Coca-Cola relocation that the company was also able to influence the interior design of the premises", says Company Spokesman Geert Harzmann.

Just like at the location in Ratingen, the Coca-Cola officials decided for the desk series PENSUM from PALMBERG. Besides the modern design vocabulary, PENSUM especially convinces by its functionalities that give rise to a motivating working environment. Also the table program CREW from PALMBERG perfectly fits with the Coca-Cola working worlds in the capital city.

Activities and working methods of the Berlin staff were as varied as die Coca-Cola range of products. Here, the table system CREW provides different options that are oriented to the needs of each individual user. The electromotive CREW-solution e.g. allows a difference in height from 650 to 1250 mm and the users have the opportunity to determine their individual working height when required. This way, the fully ergonomic workplaces always enable the Coca-Cola employees to change between sitting and standing activities with minimum effort. The furnishing concept is rounded off by the SELECT und PRISMA 2 storage space versions with many variants – becoming the ideal partner for perfect order.

“We are convinced that our furniture is supporting the well-being and the productivity of the Coca-Cola staff members“, says PALMBERG Marketing Manager Stephan Kühl.

The interior design of the Coca-Cola’s Berlin offices shows clearly how you create – with functional and modern furniture – an atmosphere which reflects the corporate image, while conveying vitality.