Welcome to the Jungle: Wild Workspace at Brainlab AG

Stefan Vilsmeier, CEO and Founder, enlisted the help of Markus Benesch, industrial and interior designer, to realize this jungle-inspired metamorphosis. Having worked with Benesch in the past to design the Brainlab HQ restaurant, auditorium and interactive meeting areas, Vilsmeier knew Benesch was the ideal partner with whom to reinvent an unconventional open workspace.

The design studio, “Markus Benesch Creates,” is known for having a playful approach to design and for their trademark methods in re-imagining space. It is a multi-disciplinary studio that specializes in corporate architecture and environment branding. This project with Brainlab, as well as collaborations with other corporate entities such as Hewlett Packard, Benetton and Samsung, highlights the ability for Benesch and his team to bring new exuberance to the workspace through their design.

Important for Vilsmeier when re-imagining the climate was the removal of the traditional ‘cubicle’ layout with its attached stigma. To achieve this, special value was placed on marrying functionality and natural beauty. In addition to specially designed wood furniture, almost 200 plants blossomed across the space, including two lush plant walls and an orchid for every desk.

With this design, the opportunity for innovation has opened up with the space. Many elements were incorporated to ensure efficiency and collaboration: In addition to workstations, the environment features two small conference rooms, communication rooms and several lounge areas. R&D members, who rule over half of the jungle, enjoy work benches and testing areas, contributing to the teamwork environment and enabling closer cooperation.

To provide a deeper understanding of the planning and execution of this environment, we would like to offer the opportunity to interview Markus Benesch and Stefan Vilsmeier regarding this project and their on-going collaboration at Brainlab.