The logistics company DP World felt that two locations in one city were no longer up to date for its Duisburg offices and decided to combine the two at a new location and offer its employees a modern and flexible office environment. To this end, it brought the real estate service provider pro m² from Düsseldorf on board, whose project manager Jan Oelze explains: "In close cooperation with our client, we made the best possible use of our holistic expertise: from comprehensive rental contract advice to a tailor-made interior design and early assurance of quality, deadlines and costs."

The container port and waterway transportation sector accounts for a large part of DP World's business, so the new office world in Duisburg's inner harbour is a perfect fit. The 6th floor and parts of the 4th floor were rented in the existing office building. In a total of 3,700 m², 164 workstations were created in around one and a half years of project time. Hannah Schulze from pro m² explains the challenges for her interdisciplinary team: "There are two color worlds that were taken up in the general design and form the basis of the interior design concept. On the one hand, there is the very muted color scheme that is often used in the logistics industry and contrasts with the very bright brand colors of DP World." Transferred to the interior design, the industrial look runs like a red thread through the entire concept. Black frames and wooden surfaces were used so that the workstations are kept in muted colors. The industrial concept is deliberately broken up in the open communal areas. Here, intense colors set accents, above all a bright orange in combination with the company's cobalt blue corporate color. The theme of flow, which is derived from the logistics company's motto and reflects the office location on the water, was also picked up on in the choice of flooring and lighting. The carpeting in two different shades was laid in waves in the work area and the blue tiles in the dining areas bring dynamism to the flooring with a pixelated installation. The lighting also partially imitates undulations, with flexible light tubes that create an expressive effect. Together with the custom-made carpentry furniture in a shipping container look, which can be found at the reception as well as on the bench and kitchenette in the Work Café, the result is a harmonious overall picture. The pleasant atmosphere has helped to inspire employees who were previously used to traditional individual offices to embrace the modern working environment: in addition to an arena for informal presentations, this includes meeting rooms of various sizes with the latest technology, project rooms with agile furniture, a Work Café for breaks and flexible working, lounge areas, call boxes and retreat areas.

www.pro-m2.de

Photos:
Jan Kaiser
www.jankaiser.eu

(Published in CUBE Ruhr Area 01|25)