While demand for conventional office space has declined significantly, a wave of innovative office buildings is reshaping the urban landscape. This apparent paradox reflects a fundamental shift in how we work. Today's office environment demands flexibility—employees need spaces that accommodate remote work, mobile teams, and collaborative projects. Rather than maintaining sprawling in-house offices, organizations can now cherry-pick workspaces, meeting rooms, and support services on demand. The modern office building, then, is fundamentally about enablement: it provides the infrastructure and amenities that enhance employee well-being and foster productive collaboration. This philosophy underpins the Mark, a striking new development in Munich's Laim district along Landsberger Straße. KSP Engel, the internationally renowned architectural practice, captured the 2018 design competition with a masterplan featuring a 180-meter-long structure spanning approximately 60,000 m² of gross floor area. The building's height gradually increases from west to east, establishing a prominent visual marker as viewed from the city center. At the western entrance, a generous publicly accessible plaza—landscaped with greenery and furnished with seating—welcomes visitors and tenants alike. The plaza hosts a bank branch and boxing club, while the eastern side opens onto the Mark's modern office realm. The architecture itself tells a story of thoughtful composition. Four distinct sections are articulated through vertical folds in the façade, creating visual rhythm along Landsberger Straße. This folding motif extends to the surface treatment: horizontal elements maintain smooth finishes, while vertical cladding features angled crease lines. Light-colored fiber concrete panels form a grid pattern across the eight-story structure, generating a dynamic visual quality enhanced by darker, color-contrasted upper floors. These staggered stories accommodate verdant roof terraces overlooking both the street and the northern railway corridor. To maximize natural light throughout the building's depth, the design organizes office spaces around three distinct courtyards and the street-facing forecourt, connected by four perpendicular bridges. Each courtyard develops its own character through distinct landscaping, creating intimate settings where employees can gather, reflect, and recharge. The western courtyard's staff restaurant extends into a generous outdoor seating area. Beyond cutting-edge interiors and a full range of office sizes—all equipped with contemporary technology—the Mark delivers a comprehensive lifestyle offering: a restaurant, farm shop, and dedicated wellness zones throughout.

www.ksp-engel.com

Photography:
Marcus Bredt
www.marcusbredt.de

(Published in CUBE Munich 04|23)