Our client, Knorr-Bremse, is a world leading supplier of brake systems and other safety-critical components for rail and commercial vehicles from Germany. The company decided to move to a new office and create a fundamentally different office environment, which caters for the requirements of hybrid working and high flexibility while at the same time providing a very attractive workplace for its staff in order to motivate employees to come back to the office after a long period of COVID restrictions. When developing the new design with SLA, Knorr Bremse’s Management Team had a very clear idea for us to create a clean cut, sleek, yet warm and welcoming environment.
The new office design concept revolves heavily around the operating environment of Knorr Bremse’s products, its brand image and core values. The Reception area welcomes visitors and employees with a product feature wall (using 3D printing) that showcases some of the most prominent high-tech products of the company. Visitors and employees are then guided to the meeting rooms and back-office area by linear ceiling lights and a carpet design that alludes to “highway & railway”.
Knorr-Bremse’s team took a very deliberate decision to move away from its traditional office concept and the team took a very open-minded approach for the design of their Back Of House Office – an essential requirement being that the new design is future proof and ready for the requirements of hybrid working. During the design process, we worked very closely with Knorr-Bremse’s local Management Team on every step to create the best suited office for the staff to fulfil a variety of requirements: creating a quiet library area/hub for concentrated individual work, ergonomic individual work stations, areas for ad-hoc team collaboration and, foremost, to the heart and soul of the office – the social hub, which is a combined café & collaboration area. Finally, to hide a huge column in the centre of the office, the design team has created a sustainable moss logo wall and trophy display area.
Project Information
Louis Lau – Project Director
Elise Lau – Interior Designer