What does leadership look like today, and what kind of spaces does it require? In a working world that increasingly relies on flexibility, trust and visibility, places where dialogue can flourish are becoming strategic tools. With the renovation of a 160 m² area on the sixth floor of Bastei Lübbe AG in Cologne, brandherm + krumrey interior architecture (b-k-i) has implemented a pilot project that translates this shift into physical space – as the first building block of a comprehensive master plan for flexible, future-oriented working environments.

The 160 square metre area on the sixth floor marks the start of an overall concept developed by b-k-i in 2023. The aim was to break down traditional office structures and enable new modes of working. To this end, a kind of ‘Urban Touch Point’ was created on the sixth floor, an open, lively agency atmosphere that promotes presence, transparency and communication.
The Executive Board, which previously worked in enclosed areas, is now deliberately brought into the centre of space: visible, approachable and part of the shared experience. The setting is complemented by the support and meeting rooms on the south side and a central zone with bookshelves, a pantry and an open meeting space, which has established itself as the new hub for exchange and informal encounters.

‘We wanted to break up the traditional corridor layout and no longer separate the Managing Board, but rather set it in motion – at the heart of the team, at the heart of dialogue. This physical proximity transforms communication, mindset and the work culture,’ says Susanne Brandherm, managing partner at b-k-i, describing the design concept, which also fulfilled the client’s desire to break down hierarchies.

In terms of design, the project translates the idea of openness and identity with precise forms and carefully selected materials. Warm, natural surfaces and textile elements create a sense of comfort, while clear lines and modular room-in-room systems ensure flexibility. Colour-accentuated zones, dominated by a deep, energetic red, lend structure and dynamics. Glass surfaces, acoustic curtains and custom-made furniture subtly zone the space without creating separation. The result is a place that enables movement, promotes encounters and reinterprets leadership – less hierarchical, more human and more dialogue-oriented.

With Bastei Lübbe 6th floor, b-k-i demonstrates how interior architecture can be a strategic tool, by creating spaces that show posture, create identity and mould culture. Presence instead of distance, openness instead of compartmentalisation: this is how b-k-i defines the future of work.