Ubisoft Blue Byte, Germany's largest game developer, has been driving innovation in the gaming industry for over three decades. When the company's Düsseldorf headquarters in Flingern-Nord needed a design overhaul, raum.atelier – the Düsseldorf-based interior design firm selected through a competitive bidding process – rose to the challenge. Their solution embodies the company's corporate identity while weaving in meaningful references to its home in the Rhine metropolis.

The redesigned space balances diverse work modes: open-plan areas, private meeting rooms, phone booths, service points, informal collaboration zones, and a dedicated Games Lab foster a dynamic, adaptable atmosphere. Ubisoft's iconic gaming worlds are subtly woven throughout—a life-size Rabbids character (from the blockbuster franchise that launched in 2006) greets visitors at reception, while character figures and thematic wall graphics populate the interiors. These design elements transform the virtual worlds employees create into tangible experiences within their physical workspace, making the corporate identity visible, touchable, and lived every day.

The location itself became a design protagonist. Düsseldorf's skyline appears as an abstracted, colorful silhouette across conference room walls—a graphic declaration of place and belonging. This deliberate nod to the Rhine metropolis creates a striking contrast with the thematic approaches adopted at Ubisoft's offices in Mainz and Berlin, each distinctly anchored to its locality.

Construction unfolded in two phases. The first, completed in late 2019, transformed the ground floor and the first two stories with open spaces, service areas, and meeting rooms. Following a pandemic-related hiatus, the second phase wrapped up by year-end 2020, delivering a striking new wing clad in robust oak. The highlights are unmissable: a 230-seat event venue and smaller function hall with adjacent café, plus an on-site cinema—a first for the company. But the true centerpiece lies on the ground floor: a vibrant social hub combining café bar and lounge seating that naturally draws people together. Complemented by a quiet retreat room for focused work, a welcoming terrace, and a small library, the reimagined workspace delivers everything Ubisoft needs—and inspires the creative thinking its team does every day.

www.raumatelier.de

Photography Credits:

Nick Wolff
www.nickwolff.de

(Published in CUBE Düsseldorf 03|21)