Grünhof

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

Grünhof is an incubator and home to the startup community, sustainability sector and creative scene in the Freiburg region. The company operates the Lokhalle and Augustinerplatz coworking spaces with two very distinct concepts, while the R14 pop-up was temporarily available as a third location.
Architecture
OAI Haller Architekten (Lokhalle)
Interior architecture
Grünhof / Vitra Consulting & Planning Studio
Photographer
Christoph Duepper
Grünhof and Vitra have been linked in a creative partnership since the first joint project, with Vitra's Consulting & Planning Studio (CPS) developing the plans and furnishings for the different locations.

When planning the interior of the Lokhalle, a 110-year-old listed railway hall, the industrial character of the building was not only to be preserved, but also accentuated. Converted overseas containers were integrated in the structure, which also includes coworking areas, permanent and pop-up team spaces, meeting rooms, a café, plaza and event areas. Combined these features cultivate such a magnetic identity that the coworking location was already fully occupied on day one.
‘What’s great is that the furniture is easy to clean and can be quickly repaired if necessary. We see this durability as an essential part of the products' sustainability.’
Hagen Krohn, Managing Director and founder of Grünhof
For the coworking space at Augustinerplatz, in the centre of Freiburg, a variety of rooms were developed with different interior moods and colour concepts to house the more than 90 workstations spread across some 1000 m2. These individual spaces can be used to create synergies or serve as quiet retreats when greater privacy is required. All the different work, meeting and conference areas are furnished with durable products from Vitra, as are the reception, gaming room and cafeteria.

R14 was an interim space where an innovative pop-up concept provided additional capacity for a period of about 18 months.
Product overview