eastcode, westcode – axel springer campus, signage system, invited competition with oma and art+com, 1st prize, realized, berlin 2020

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.

axel springer campus
signage system
invited competition with oma and art+com, 1st prize, realized
berlin 2020

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