Reference Deutsche Telekom
Furnishing as a success factor
In early 2015, Deutsche Telekom and its 1,300 staff relocated to a new modern building at the TZ Rhein Main, a technology park in Darmstadt. The office park sets the standard in providing innovative working environments which facilitate future-forward work-life models. König + Neurath accompanied the progress of the new Telekom location with the design of custom-built office worlds that not just mirror, but inspire the Group’s change of culture. In the meantime, the communication-centric, stimulating working environment that doubles as a quiet space for focused working, has proven its value. Desk sharing is also a possible option today, which benefits employees by providing greater flexibility, and Telekom by cutting costs.
“Feel connected all over Europe!”, that was Telekom’s claim in 2015. In line with this motto, employees were also to feel connected. One example of this are the Telekom Kaskaden – or cascades - at the TZ Rhein Main. The Group invested considerably into developing this site, to create a future-forward, communication-friendly office world and on-the-job feelgood ambiance for its roughly 1,300 employees. This is new: For the first time, the company banked on open-space, flexible workstation structures which were to facilitate working on projects and in teams with a changing line-up. And even the future implementation of desk sharing was part of the concept.
Deutsche Telekom also clearly defined its expectations in relation to the energy concept: Sustainable resources that reduce CO2 emissions were to be given preference and the environment was to be conserved as best as possible.
We want knowledge to be shared.
To implement these goals, König + Neurath worked hand in hand with the Group’s change management which informed staff at an early point in time and involved them in the planning. The open office world concept and its challenges relating to acoustics, climate, the protection of labour and furnishing were detailed in multiple events. König + Neurath, together with other trades involved in the conversion, provided answers to questions asked by the future users and later gave them their say in the visual design.
We took the concerns of our employees seriously and called out the challenges for what they are.
A key contribution here was König + Neurath’s future-oriented workstation design which combines an open and transparent arrangement and friendly ambiance with spatial efficiency. We set up only a few single-user offices at the Telekom Kaskaden which are intended for cross-functional managers. These offices were separated from the remaining office space using the HORIZONTE partition system.
All workstations have height-adjustable gas lift TALO.S desks, complemented by a flyby screen for visual and acoustic shielding. ACTA.CLASSIC sliding-door cabinets and lockers organise the open office and define spaces for focused working and for communication
Ein entspanntes „Chilaxen“ oder „Meeten“ in den Lounge-Zonen ermöglichten wir durch das modulare Mittelzonen-Konzept NET.WORK.PLACE, ergänzt durch unseren vielseitigen, funktionalen Mehrzweckstuhl PUBLICA, der in den Cafeterien als Barhocker zum Einsatz kommt.
To provide a quiet space for focused working, we installed around 120 THINK.TANKS in different styles – ranging from single-user workstations with a desk and swivel chair, to a space for small groups which features a conference table, swivel chairs and media technology.
In collaboration with Canzler, we developed a special solution for the ventilation system of the THINK.TANKs: The ventilation unit was not integrated into the ceiling but into the opaque side walls so that the THINK.TANKs could be positioned flush beneath the on-site HVAC system.
On the ground floor, the workplace concept digresses from the open space design. This is where we installed a so-called Release Container where larger project teams put new systems to the test. Additionally, we set up a parent-and-child office that features two workstations plus a play corner for children.
The Kaskaden building has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certificate. The desk sharing concept has also been implemented in the meantime: All employees were given a pilot’s case when they relocated, in which they can store their personal belongings and working documents. The case can be locked away in the lockers – or taken along to work from a home office. The building is fully WLAN-wired and offers in-house mobile telephony so that employees can work conveniently on the roof terrace from their standing, sitting or lounging workstations.
The general feeling is that communication has noticeably improved with the working quality of each individual and the Group’s future viability has increased considerably – the roughly 1,300 employees on location have successfully filled the new working culture that they helped design with life..