It's official: OMA's scheme for the Axel Springer HQ in Berlin

It's already been a few years since OMA won the competition to design the new Berlin headquarters for media company Axel Springer. During Axel Springer's 50th anniversary celebration of their current headquarters late last week, the official design scheme of the new building was unveiled.

As Axel Springer continues to evolve, OMA emphasized creating a space that allows more face-to-face interaction — an increasingly common modern workplace demand — for the 3,500 Axel Springer employees that will be working inside the new building.

Check out OMA's latest project renderings below.

With Rem Koolhaas, Chris van Duijn and Katrin Betschinger as project leaders, the building's exterior features a 30-meter-tall atrium, with 3D facade elements that run diagonally through the center of the building — creating diamond-shaped windows that let passers-by peek inside the interior. The new building will be located on the former site of Linden Park, opposite of the current Axel Springer headquarters on Zimmerstrasse. The atrium and a new rooftop park will also be accessible to the public.

Commenting on the project, Rem Koolhaas stated that OMA is “lucky to have a client who views architecture as an instrument of change”. The scheme aims to “address a central dilemma of the contemporary office: as computer-based work has become largely intangible and silent, how can people effectively communicate in a workspace which fosters both concentration and vigorous interaction?”, Koolhaas said.

“With our new building, we wish to bring the Axel Springer family in Berlin closer together while at the same time shaping the future of working in the digital world through architecture,” stated Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner. “It is about a symbolically powerful home.”

While a construction start date is yet to be announced, OMA has more upcoming projects up their sleeve including the Manchester Arts Centre and a remodeling scheme for German department store KaDeWe.

All images courtesy of OMA.