Where we come from

In the ’90s, the thriving creative sector began settling into space previously inhabited by the old economy, industrial warehouses, halls and the like. It had an exciting feel to it, a hint of occupying a space. Blackspace used to be in one such building, an old industrial hall in Obersendling, a vast space we filled with rows upon rows of long, grey desks. There was a gallery walkway along the entire interior perimeter from which you could look down onto people working. It looked really impressive, almost sculptural. But in terms of our collaborative spirit, the architecture naturally led to thinking by rows – not growing together, but apart.

New work

We spent a lot of time looking at the way we work together. How can we enable people and teams to collaborate better? How does an open space office affect communication? We have enough space to work, but don’t we also need space to think deeply? Why do we have the tendency to sit down in front of the computer, all alone and far too early in the process? And, above all, how can architecture support creativity?

New space

Last year, we left our old space and planed to move into something completely new. Our new home was originally to be a residential building and that is what it feels like – mixed culture instead of monoculture. Thinking of teams and creative processes, the analogy of a beehive appeals to us a lot. A lively hub where people fly in and out, teams meet up to communicate and exchange ideas. Our new space promotes this idea. With multi-use areas for different phases of ideation and the design process: a central area where people meet up and mingle, dedicated spaces for thinking through an idea as the team. Space for sketching and working creatively.

Since this summer, we are building our new house. See how the story continues.