Offices used to be places to get things done. Serious, sterile, and devoid of personality, workspaces were designed almost solely for efficiency. But in 2024, the places in which we work need to offer much more than cubicles and computers. Case in point: the Eclipse Campus, a new office tower in Dusseldorf which serves as home base for auditing and consulting firm PwC Germany. Designed by Amsterdam-based UNStudio in collaboration with local firm HPP Architects, its workstations are organized around its social zones, rather than the other way around.

Rising 16 storeys, the building boasts a striking presence on a busy thoroughfare in central Borough 1. The scale-like sawtooth glazed façade, framed in rusty red-painted metal — and punctuated by smooth glass areas that correspond with the building’s social programs — makes for a dynamic street frontage. Following the shape of the site, the architects opted for a two-storey podium with a triangular tower above, integrating the building thoughtfully into its context; the tower’s north façade is parallel to Kennedydamm, the main route into the city centre, while the southern façade faces the neighbouring Hilton hotel. Its outdoor gathering spaces — a ground floor patio outfitted with rows of picnic tables and an accessible rooftop garden on the podium building — hint at the interior’s social ethos.

At the ground level, the tower cantilevers over the main entrance, supported by a three-dimensional V-shaped column. Through the doors, framed by a diagonal setback accentuated by the contrasting opaque and transparent portions of the façade, employees enter into a brightly lit lobby, complete with meeting areas and a restaurant. From here, an undulating staircase marks the beginning of a circulatory promenade — a three-dimensional helix of social spaces that spirals up the building.

Forming the central spine of the campus, around which the interior is organized, these recreational zones comprise six generous atria that physically connect the various office programs, which are clustered vertically, culminating in a panoramic roof garden. While they are ideal for networking and casual meet-ups, they also carve out space for collaborative, informal work, such as breakout areas for meetings and coffee breaks, along with individual workstations.

The entire office was designed with flexibility in mind and can easily adapt as needs change. Prioritizing both productivity and social wellbeing, the atria foster connection and communication between employees, making for a healthy and meaningful work environment. The central atria are surrounded by more private, traditional workstations. But, despite their more traditional layout, they are far from boring. Bathed in warm and vibrant hues — red, orange, yellow, and pink — and strewn with plants, they make for inspiring work environments. In all, the building contains 27,000 square metres of office space, accommodating around 1,200 employees.

Like many modern offices, the Eclipse Campus leverages technology to mitigate its impact on the planet. In addition to passive sustainability measures, the office is equipped with “smart engine” technology controlled by 2,000 sensors that collect data in real-time to optimize daylight, artificial light and room ventilation. The architects estimate that this system can result in up to 200 tonnes of carbon savings per year in a building this size. While the designers ensured the building was up to today’s standards, they also considered future needs such as urban mobility, including over 200 spaces for bicycle parking and charging stations for e-cars.

Above all, the architects sought to establish a sense of transparency and openness to the surrounding neighbourhood. To that end, the atria’s generous windows frame views out to the city. In contrast to traditional gridded facades, the denotation of the atria as smooth swaths of glass that wrap around the building renders the position of the programs and activity of the interior visible to the public. Sparking curiosity, the Eclipse Campus achieves exactly what its designers set out to do — foster connection, creativity and attract and retain top talent.