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Not Another Office
The NOV11 project began with a challenge:
“We don’t want a typical office.
We want something quiet, flexible, and human.”
That brief became the spine of the design: a multifunctional workspace in the heart of Berlin-Mitte, crafted to support both calm collaboration and sharp client interaction. The client—a forward-facing tech company—needed a layout that could shift from solo work to full workshops, while still feeling warm, composed, and welcoming.
The building itself didn’t help: irregular walls, rough post-war structure, and nearly zero straight angles. But instead of erasing the imperfections, the design leaned into them—softening what was harsh, structuring what was loose, and humanizing what was rigid.
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Concept: Calm Structure, Fluid Function
The plan centers around one large, flexible work zone—composed of four desks that can be separated or joined to form a single communal table. Custom linoleum inlays visually unify the pieces, allowing for rearrangement without losing aesthetic cohesion.
Spaces are zoned but never closed:
• Collaborative workstations
• A large office kitchen and dining area
• A cozy lounge for decompression
• Modular meeting rooms and phone booths
Every wall, division, and material decision was made to create quiet adaptability—a space that works with the people inside it, not against them.
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Design Tactics
• Material Harmony: Oak, terrazzo, rough plaster, linen-textured fabrics—everything chosen to soften light and dampen sound
• Visual Restraint: No exposed concrete clichés, no startup playbook—just elegant simplicity
• Framed Architecture: Oak plinths rise into paneled walls, creating sculptural divisions without visual clutter
• Functional Elegance: Zones are defined by furniture, not partitions—letting the space breathe without losing form
• Human-First Lighting: Large windows for daylight, soft pendants for warmth, and biophilic accents for presence
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Feeling: Warm Intelligence
This isn’t an “inspiring space.” It’s a clearing—a place where people can actually think, speak, and build. The atmosphere is quiet, grounded, and serious in the best way:
• You feel focused, not forced.
• You feel calm, not caffeinated.
• You feel present, not processed.
There’s a subtle Japanese rhythm in the joinery and spacing. The materials aren’t flashy—they’re tactile. The space doesn’t try to impress. It tries to last.
“Offices don’t have to be brutal or boring.
They can feel like rooms you want to return to.”
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PHOTOS - COZY STUDIO