eastcode, westcode
the new building designed by rem koolhaas for the axel springer group‘s headquarter campus lies along the demarcation line that once separated west and east germany, marking a stark contrast. even though the building‘s two sections actually lie to the north and south of the site, they‘re labelled „east“ and „west“ in the wayfinding code so as to highlight the history hidden beneath the foundations. this geographically inaccurate sectional description is part of the design concept - a typographical translation of the dialogue notion that is central to the architectural design. for the signage system, these architectural forms and counter-forms are echoed typographically with texts presented positively and negatively, a fitting metaphor for a media organisation: for and against, thesis and antithesis, subjective and objective, digital and analogue, news and entertainment. in this way the essence of the group - the diversity of its brands and the various ways they interrelate - is etched into the signage system.
projectdata
client:
oma
owner:
axel springer
communication design:
büro uebele
visuelle kommunikation
project team:
carolin himmel
christian lindermann (project manager)
justyna sikora
andreas uebele
photos:
aldo amoretti (1–18)
laurian ghinitoiu (19, 20)