Working in the Cloud New conference areas and quiet zones boost employee well-being at Ströer. "News Inspiration Emotion" – these are the words on the wall in the conference area of Ströer's redesigned offices. High-quality Nimbus luminaires and Rossoacoustic acoustic pads were used in the office refurbishment to create an inspiring, quiet and light working atmosphere for the employees. The topic of "new working environments" is currently on everyone's lips as it has been recognised that the spatial environment has a major influence on employees' sense of well-being and consequently on the results of their work. Global corporations such as Apple, Google and Co. have been leading the way: their employees sit in playfully designed, open and light-flooded rooms that hardly make one think of work anymore. Ströer SE & Co. KGaA, a digital multi-channel media company, had its offices refurbished from top to bottom and hired designfunktion, a firm of interior architects from Bonn, to do the job. Ströer News Publishing GmbH wanted the redesign to feature new conference areas and opportunities for their employees to retreat. The interior architects also designed a new light and acoustics concept for the rooms, whereby they opted for luminaires and acoustic pads from the Stuttgart-based Nimbus Group. Acoustic Comfort "I had planned a number of projects with Nimbus and Rossoacoustic in the past and it's great to be able to tackle all of the lighting and acoustic challenges with a single company," explains Tobias Pagel, head of the planning and design and department at designfunktion. The key role played by lighting and acoustics in working environments is often not appreciated until something goes wrong. However, careful light and acoustics planning in offices make a major contribution to users' sense of well-being. The planners carried out various acoustic measurements to find out how they could reduce noise and achieve the best possible results for the Ströer office spaces. Parameters such as the number of people in the room, room partitioning, furniture and usage determined the acoustics concept. "The acoustics planning was a very important point in the design of the office as we had only planned open-space workplaces. These only work as a whole if there is a satisfactory acoustics concept," explains Tobias Pagel. The solution is round Rossoacoustic Pads in various colours suspended from the ceiling. These dampen noise and generate pleasant acoustics. The elegant Pads also provide the office with an aesthetic highlight. Delicate Clouds of Light The Ströer location in Berlin delivers editorial content to Ströer media, desktops and mobiles throughout the whole of Germany. The newsroom is the centrepiece of the premises. Picking up on this idea, the architects and interior architects from designfunktion used products from the Rossoacoustic Pad system and Nimbus Modul R Project luminaires. They evoke associations with delicate summer clouds hovering high above the heads of the employees and give a tangible quality to the Cloud philosophy behind the digitally produced information. Pads and luminaires with a similar form combine to create a harmonious overall impression in the office: Tobias Pagel reports: "Using the broad spectrum of Nimbus luminaires, we were able to pick up on the major difference in the various zones and areas in the office space without losing an overall design concept." Besides the conventional desktop workplaces, there are also conference rooms, communication zones and areas where employees can retreat and be on their own. With a keen eye for detail, the interior architects designed each of these different areas with a particular theme. For example a cinema and a table tennis room were included in the spatial concept in addition to a ski cabin, a gym and a tree house. In other words, surroundings that stimulate creativity and are perfectly illuminated. Tobias Pagel, too, is very satisfied with the result: "The new design with Nimbus luminaires has enhanced the spatial quality enormously. In fact, along with acoustics, lighting was a very important point in the overall concept." The result is a modern, up-to-date and functional new working environment in which people can concentrate on thinking and working creatively without disturbance. The Building at a Glance Facts: Refurbishment of an office building, Berlin Client: Ströer SE & Co. KGaA Interior architect: designfunktion, Bonn Nimbus products used Modul R 900 Modul R 600 Modul R 340 Modul R 280 Force One Power floor-standing luminaire Roxxane Leggera CL Modul R 9, surface-mounted Modul R 49, surface-mounted Modul R 64, surface-mounted Rossoacoustic products used Rossoacoustic Pad R 1200 Rossoacoustic Pad R 900 Rossoacoustic Pad R 600 Stuttgart, May 2018 Reprint free of charge / File copy requested Captions: 01 Modern working environments provide variety. The office refurbishment at Ströer has created numerous opportunities for employees to retreat. Sound-absorbing Rossoacoustic PADs and matching Nimbus luminaires create a friendly atmosphere. Photo: AKIM photography, Achim Hehn 02 Suspended LED luminaires from the Modul R Project family plus acoustically effective Rossoacoustic Pads provide working areas with light and a quiet atmosphere. Photo: AKIM photography, Achim Hehn 03 Working in the Cloud. Open-space workplaces can only work with a well-though-out lighting and acoustics concept. Photo: AKIM photography, Achim Hehn 04 The interaction between clear-cut Nimbus luminaires and acoustically effective Rossoacoustic Pads creates a stimulating atmosphere. Photo: AKIM photography, Achim Hehn 05 Thanks to their design, the ceiling luminaires and acoustic pads fit in in all the different zones of the office area and constitute an overarching design element. Photo: AKIM photography, Achim Hehn 06 In terms of colour, the acoustically effective Rossoacoustic Pads fit in magnificently with the concepts of the various rooms. Photo: AKIM photography, Achim Hehn 07 Creating pleasant quiet zones with a high level of spatial quality is an absolute must with Cloud workplaces. Lighting and matching acoustically effective Pads are a major element in this concept. Photo: AKIM photography, Achim Hehn 08 Such retreat cabins are also pleasantly lit by Modul R Project LED luminaires. Photo: AKIM photography, Achim Hehn 09 Portable battery-powered Nimbus Leggera CL luminaires support temporary working in various rooms. Photo: AKIM photography, Achim Hehn 10 In the canteen too inspiration and emotion are encouraged by colour-coordinated Rossoacoustic Pads and the suspended Nimbus luminaires. Photo: AKIM photography, Achim Hehn 11 The new Modul R Project suspended luminaires are available in three different sizes with diameters of 600, 900 and 1200 mm. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert 12 The large, suspended Modul R Project luminaires are suitable for all rooms in open-space offices. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert 13 Force One Power can be operated using two touch-sensitive control panels flush-mounted in the profile of the luminaire. This workplace luminaire can also be controlled using swarm technology or building management systems. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert 14 The Force One Power LED workplace luminaire features indirect light that can be switched on and off. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert 15 The Modul Q 280 Project ceiling luminaire can be equipped with Wireless IQ and integrated daylight and ambient light sensor. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert 16 The luminaires in the Modul Q Project range are easy to install and are characterised by their low height when installed. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert 17 The portable battery-powered Roxxane Leggera 52 CL luminaire is excellently suited to the task of lighting temporary workplaces. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert 18 Rossoacoustic Pads can be used in various shapes and colours. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert 19 The Rossoacoustic Pads suspended from the ceiling have a sound-absorbing effect and improve room acoustics. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert 20 The elegant Rossoacoustic Pads are an aesthetic highlight in the office. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert 21 Being available in a variety of colours, Rossoacoustic Pads can be specifically adapted to match a room's situation and atmosphere. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert 22 With their variety of colours, Rossoacoustic Pads are a good solution for a successful acoustics concept. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert ABOUT THE NIMBUS GROUP The Nimbus Group was founded by the architect Dietrich F. Brennenstuhl in 1988. It is different from most other enterprises and being different has helped the company to explore new avenues. Nimbus was the very first company to place its faith in LED technology, thus giving itself a global lead over the competition. The company has realised around 12,000 LED projects since 2006 and can now call upon a wealth of experience: its spectrum ranges from fitting out houses, doctors' practices, schools and boardrooms through to company headquarters like the Unilever head office in Hamburg, the ADAC headquarters in Munich and the head office of the WTO in Geneva. The same innovative ability also finds expression in the Rosso and Rossoacoustic brands of highly flexible shading and room-partitioning systems; this is particularly apparent in the integrated acoustics solutions, which were developed using the latest findings from science and research. The brands in both fields – light and acoustics – have joined forces in pursuit of innovation. Together with leading research institutes, the Nimbus Group is developing acoustically effective LED lighting solutions and further new products aimed at optimising office design. At Light + Building 2018 the Nimbus Group presented a whole range of visionary luminaires that consistently embody the idea of cableless light that is available whenever and wherever it is needed. With their top-quality, appealing design, the lightweight and effortlessly rechargeable luminaires fit in perfectly with the company’s philosophy. The Nimbus Group is a member of the renowned "German Design Council" foundation and a founding member of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). You will find further information about the Nimbus Group at: www.nimbus-group.com Stuttgart, May 2018 Reprint free of charge / File copy requested