Eschewing the typical maze of long corridors and dated conference rooms, Kienbaum Consultants International's Cologne headquarters sits in the Airport Business Park in the Gremberghoven district—a far cry from corporate convention. Originally envisioned as the headquarters for a tobacco multinational, the complex has been transformed into a bold statement about the future of work. Laura Kienbaum, granddaughter of the company's founder, orchestrated this entire transformation. Working alongside architect Dominic Sackmann, she first reimagined the Cologne location, then rolled out the design across all German Kienbaum offices—now through her planning and design studio, loop_creating places.

What makes work truly good? And what does an office space need to inspire people, help them thrive, and unlock creativity together? These pressing questions sparked Kienbaum's comprehensive design and cultural overhaul in 2016. The objective: craft spaces that champion openness, strengthen identity, and remain functionally sound. The solution: a modular framework that bends to employees' evolving needs and adapts over time. From focus zones to expansive team hubs, from on-demand bookable rooms to workshop landscapes—every element is built like a system, endlessly reconfigurable to fit how people actually work.

Sustainable, modular, and user-centered design—now a recurring yet distinctly non-uniform brand signature across other German locations—sets the foundation. But the real story at the Cologne headquarters lies in the company's remarkable art collection: over 1,000 works by celebrated contemporary artists that do far more than decorate the offices—they define them entirely. Organized around the theme of "abstraction and color," the collection becomes the visual language throughout every workspace. Color accents dialogue with clean lines, wall modules marry aesthetics with function. Video walls, whiteboards, libraries—each element deliberately engages with the displayed artworks, including pieces by Günther Förg, Jorinde Voigt, and David Reed. "Art polarizes and connects people," explains Jochen Kienbaum, former managing director of Kienbaum Consultants International. "That's precisely why the synergy between art and a company focused entirely on human-centered consulting solutions feels so natural." A Cologne-exclusive addition to the space program: a display depot that brings even the unseen works to life in an equally compelling setting.

www.loop-places.com
www.sackmannpayer.com

Photography:
Philipp Jester
www.philippjester.com

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 02|25)