Ready for any voyage
An advertising agency charts its course with raw concrete and warm wood accents
Named after Ferdinand Magellan – the Portuguese explorer who navigated the strait around South America's southern tip in 1519 – this advertising agency needed interiors to match its adventurous spirit. Stanke Interiordesign from Euskirchen rose to the challenge, creating a design for the Oststraße location in Düsseldorf's prime city centre that captures the essence of seafaring and discovery.
The building's raw industrial architecture—exposed concrete surfaces on walls, pillars, and ceilings—provided the perfect foundation. Rather than fight it, the designers embraced this rugged aesthetic, echoing the concrete's robustness in the charcoal carpet and letting natural wood elements warm the space. Large wooden windows flood rooms with light, while real wood parquet in the kitchen, lounge, and main meeting room adds richness and texture. The kitchen is deliberately restrained, with accents in the company's signature colour. The think tanks draw directly from maritime heritage: ocean blue and dune green define these collaborative spaces. The entrance and lounge welcome visitors to settle in, while the main meeting room—with its substantial wooden table and vintage rug—radiates both warmth and authority. Semi-transparent curtains maintain privacy without sacrificing the open feel. A central axis runs through the office, zonally organizing departments and highlighted by strategic ceiling lighting, while floor lamps at individual workstations create a cohesive lighting scheme. Acoustic carpeting and ceiling panels absorb sound and reduce echo, fostering focus and comfort. True to Magellan's philosophy—a captain commands from the bridge, not a separate cabin—the management area is divided from the open office by only a partition. Yet selected designer classics ensure this space still commands presence. In summer 2020, Magellan set sail into its new home.
Photography Credits:
Stefan Durstewitz
www.durstewitz.de
(Published in CUBE Düsseldorf 03|21)