Classy copywriting

The dynamically shaped white façade made up of metal surfaces stands for the work of New York architect and Pritzker Prize laureate Richard Meier. By dint of its address, Oskar-von-Miller-Ring 20 in Munich, locals have nicknamed the building Richard Meier designed “Oskar” for short. Now the Condé Nast publishing house, which owns media brands including “AD Architectural Digest”, “Vogue”, “Glamour” and “Wired”, has moved into the location following extensive refurbishment work.
 
The spaces on two floors were refurbished by tool off.architecture in collaboration with Oliver Jahn, editor-in-chief of “AD Architectural Digest”. The team decided to abolish the division between representative and work spaces, and as a result the boundaries between cozy furnishings and work spaces are fluid. The open space sections were divided using partition walls, ensuring that there are always enough sheltered areas offering privacy for the completion of tasks that require a greater deal of concentration. Despite the flexible configuration, every employee has his or her own fixed workspace – the idea for desk-sharing was not included in the rooms of the editorial offices. Every room has its own character, ranging from subdued to shrill. Many of the built-in furnishings and wooden items of furniture such as book shelves were custom-made. These are joined by expertly chosen design items – from carpets by Jan Kath to furniture and accessories by stars such as Jaime Hayon and Gio Ponti. What’s more, products by manufacturers such as Vitra, Molteni&C, Minotti, Oluce, Knoll, Menu, Hem, Flexform, Hay or Lapalma can all be found in the rooms. The different sections of the publishing house’s new headquarters were named after metropolises – thus it is that the marketing team sits in “New York,” while the editorial department of “AD Architectural Digest” is based in “Milan”. And those who prefer to work in natural surroundings can always retreat to the green inner courtyard.