Berlin's industrial heritage is experiencing a renaissance. Former factory sites are being reimagined as offices, design studios, and cultural venues—none more striking than the Wilhelm Hallen in Reinickendorf. These landmark buildings, with their distinctive clinker brick architecture, have been thoughtfully restored and are now thriving as a creative and entrepreneurial hub.Ramboll, a leading global engineering, architecture, and consulting firm, recently consolidated its three scattered Berlin locations into a single space within Building D at Kopenhagener Straße 60–68. True to its mission of "Bright Ideas. Sustainable Change," Ramboll tasked Studio Ply with creating an interior that would honor the building's industrial past while embracing modern work practices.Two full floors of the former iron foundry—620 m² on the ground floor and 1,110 m² on the first floor—were transformed with meticulous attention to both heritage conservation and contemporary design. Windows and doors were carefully restored to meet preservation standards. Studio Ply's concept centers on sustainable and recycled materials, creating spaces that tell the story of their former life while serving the needs of today's workforce.The ground floor radiates openness and light. Partially damaged brick walls were repaired and painted white, as were the distinctive coffered ceilings. A striking orange-red accent runs throughout, becoming a visual thread that unifies the space. Rather than a traditional reception desk, visitors are welcomed into an open entrance hall where seating clusters around generous green plant displays—a gentle prelude to the canteen space located in an adjoining extension.The room layout balances flexibility with focus: open work areas flow alongside meeting rooms, phone booths, and soundproof-curtained zones, with dedicated closed cubes for concentrated work. Industrial and dry screed flooring complete the ground floor's contemporary yet grounded aesthetic.The upper floor takes a different approach. Rendered in soft gray, it features expanded metal-clad cubes and shelving that zone the expansive space while maintaining visual transparency—a subtle nod to the building's industrial origins. Suspended aluminum sails serve dual purposes: they echo the building's manufacturing heritage while providing acoustic insulation. Custom-designed circular light fixtures, positioned beneath these reflective elements, anchor the space with quiet elegance.

www.ply.de

Photography Credits:

Anne Deppe
www.annedeppe.de

(Featured in CUBE Berlin 03|23)