A Berlin Workaway

A city with a tumultuous and divided past, Berlin is known for its spirit of reinvention and relentless creativity. It is an international magnet for its vibrant arts and music scenes, fostering a dynamic cultural life that has contributed significantly to its growing population and economy. Yet as the city expands, new mixed-use neighborhoods must replicate the energy of the center, a problem which workspace architecture and design can step up to solve with a balanced formula of ‘identity’ and ‘flexibility’—the former to attract and express, the latter to allow new communities to shape their future.

This was LAVA’s challenge in designing a flexible mixed-use workplace for digital pioneers working across music, gaming, tech, and media for a developing urban quarter in East Berlin. Located in the Oberschöneweide district overlooking the river Spree and next to the ‘Funkhaus’ of the former 1960s GDR broadcasting studio complex, Nalepaland is named after its location Nalepastrasse, combined with the word ‘land’ to describe its open sense of opportunity. Performing as a social hub, the workplace is designed to attract a new generation that approaches work with a strong sense of individualism, prioritizing personal passions, varied schedules, and integrating work and social life. Smart creators that value open space on their business cards over traditional downtown locations.

A structure for ‘free space for free spirits’ that combines industrial identity with social buzz and future growth, Nalepaland takes the form of a transparent cube of four levels integrating flexible office and studio space around a light-flooded atrium, brickwork balconies, and two rooftop terraces.

With a loose-fit approach to programming, the vast ground floor can be reconfigured for a fashion show, makers’ market, pop-up concert, or talk, and two commercial units at ground level have internal and external access, inviting the public in during evenings or weekends. "The brief required us to balance flexibility with creating a unifying identity," explains LAVA Partner Tobias Wallisser. "Our concept draws from the site's history, establishing a pioneering location for creatives with the atrium as the central place-making element. By expanding beyond the limited concept of nine-to-five, Nalepaland gives work a richer dimension and a more sustainable approach to occupancy.”

The atrium is a ‘vertical playground’ that enriches circulation with catwalks, cantilevered meeting boxes, inviting communal areas, glazed lifts, and a generous cascading stair that encourages chance encounters between Nalepaland’s many different users. For Wallisser, the addition of these dynamic and diverse social areas in offices leads to a greater appreciation of work: “These spaces improve connection and common understanding with co-workers, leading to a greater sense of purpose and wellbeing,” he explains.

Overlooking the central area, Nalepaland offers a range of flexible office units for rent, spanning four levels and encompassing 80% of the building, totaling approximately 19,000 square meters. The ceilings reach up to 3.85 meters, enhancing the industrial ambiance with exposed concrete. Designed to accommodate diverse working preferences, these light-flooded units can be economically and efficiently adapted for each user. Planning was guided by observed habitual work patterns, reflecting hybrid styles, prompting companies to reconsider the necessity of permanent space for all staff in favor of resource-efficient shared spaces that offer both growth and expression opportunities.