If the eccentric proprietor of the Wonka Chocolate Manufacturing facility had a headquarters like this, he’d most likely assume twice about handing over the keys to little Charlie. Designed by Ippolito Fleitz Group (IFG), the brand new Ritter Sport Schokozentrale (which interprets to Chocolate Central) in Waldenbuch, Germany, is an exemplary mannequin of what an inspiring, joyful, and modern workplace within the sweets business – or any business, for that matter – ought to appear to be. The number of environments and featured experiential rooms domesticate a artistic and collaborative surroundings that makes the workplace really feel extra like play than work, a sentiment Willy Wonka himself would certainly approve of.
With out leaning overly saccharine but nonetheless capitalizing on the inevitable enjoyable of working a candies enterprise, IFG built-in the unmistakable graphic ingredient of a chocolate bar into the workplace design utilizing brown sq. tiles. This tiling will be discovered within the Schokowerkstatt / Chocolate and Cocoa Workshop, the place workers can create and style their very own flavorful concoctions, and the Chocolate Café. As a result of good design is rarely a coincidence, the sq. additionally refers back to the form within the Ritter Sport trademark emblem.
Within the Marktplatz / Market, the guts of the workplace, the ceiling lights additionally repeat the motif of squares. The area is outfitted with a kitchen counter, alcoves, a cellular bar desk, and stadium seating to assist giant conferences and occasions.
Ritter Sport’s vivid and colourful sweet packaging served as inspiration for shade drenching the assorted convention rooms, alcoves, and furnishings.
Whereas the workplace doesn’t home a chocolate river like Wonka’s manufacturing facility, it does have an Concepts Backyard, full with cacao pod pendant lights hanging from the ceiling. The semi-enclosed area is surrounded by lush greenery, creating a chilled, biophilic surroundings the place creativity and concepts can sprout. A Sensory room additionally permits guests to expertise the sensorial parts of chocolate with out visible distraction.
Aligning with Ritter Sport’s dedication to sustainable design, IFG selected to solely use eco-friendly supplies which are low in pollution and emissions, from wall paint to carpet tiles to workplace furnishings like desks, chairs, lights, curtains, vegetation, and planters. These supplies will be recycled or biodegrade again into the earth on the end-of-life cycle.
Since completion, the workplace has acquired a gold certificates from the German Sustainable Constructing Council (DGNB e.V.), garnered a profitable Crimson Dot Design award, and received a 2023 Better of Yr Award for “Company Workplace: Massive” from Inside Design.
Pictures by Philip Kottlorz.
