WHAT'S UP Blog

Open coworking spaces often face an apparent contradiction: they are meant to foster exchange, dynamism and creative energy – whilst at the same time enabling focused work. The Start it @KBC project in Antwerp shows exactly how this balance can be achieved.

How corridors, alcoves and soft zones facilitate cognitive switching.
Between focused individual work and lively interaction lies an area that is often underestimated in office planning: the interstitial space. It is precisely these transitional zones that are crucial for productive work in hybrid working environments. Corridors, alcoves and peripheral areas thus become more than mere circulation spaces – they support focus, interaction and natural movement in equal measure.

As part of a comprehensive cultural and organisational transformation, Ford Otosan commissioned the design of its new headquarters in Izmit, Turkey, as a forward-looking working environment. The aim was to meet the requirements of hybrid working models while creating spaces that optimally support both collaboration and individual concentration.

What does an office that truly meets the requirements of hybrid working look like? The new headquarters of Gruppo CAP in Milan provides a convincing answer across an area of 3,020 m². The project, by Alterstudio Partners, shows how working environments are evolving from classic offices with fixed desks to flexible, user-centred ecosystems.

Berlin is energy, culture, movement. At the same time, it is a city where the transformation of the working world has become especially visible: co-working spaces, cafés, creative meeting points – “third places” are part of everyday life here.

It is precisely within this environment that the Sedus Hub Berlin was created: as a showroom, as an inspiring meeting place, and as a vibrant space where modern work culture is not only presented, but truly lived.

The Sedus Hub Berlin is not a traditional exhibition space. It is a place that makes the spirit of Sedus tangible – inviting visitors to experience, explore and rethink contemporary work environments.

For Sedus, sustainability is not a short-term goal, but a long-term commitment. With clearly defined climate targets and a consistent implementation strategy, the company is continuously pursuing this path – and has achieved another significant milestone with climate compensation.

Sculptural yet soft in its expression, se:cove combines gentle, flowing lines with a distinctive spatial presence. The lounge chair is both an eye-catcher and a place of retreat. While the rear view conveys dynamism and structure, the open, inviting front creates a sense of shelter — like a small cove within the space, offering protection while encouraging interaction.

Whether used for focused work, creative breaks or extended conversations, se:cove creates moments of concentration and exchange. Yet behind its expressive form lies more than comfort and aesthetics. The chair embodies a product philosophy where responsible material selection, intelligent construction and sustainable processes are embedded from the outset.

At Sedus, sustainability is not an add-on — it is integral to the concept.

Tetra Pak in Tokyo and Warsaw is an inspiring case in point: a project by tp bennett that illustrates how to strike the right balance between highly stimulating spaces for collaboration and networking and low-stimulation environments for quiet, focused work – while adapting to different cultural contexts.

In keeping with the winter season, it's only right that we take a look at Sedus' traditional wholefood cuisine. For decades, it has stood for conscious nutrition, high-quality ingredients and respectful handling of food – values that were already established by Emma Stoll. Her commitment to healthy, wholefood cuisine has had a lasting influence on the food culture at Sedus and remains an integral part of the corporate culture to this day. The dish below combines winter flavours: the orange sauce gives the tender goose breast a special touch and, together with the apple slices, creates a harmonious taste experience.

Sometimes you step into a room and immediately feel: this isn’t just about furniture. It’s about attitude, about connection — and about the question of how we want to work. That’s exactly what the Sedus HUB in Eschborn is.

Yes, it’s a showroom. But above all, it’s home base, stage, workshop, and meeting point for the Rhine-Main region. A place that grew from the local team and evolves every day — through use, through exchange, through real experiences.

Located in the middle of Munich, the Sedus HUB demonstrates how modern workplaces can be conceived today: not as a conventional product display, but as a lived-in space that brings people together, inspires them, and supports a wide range of ways of working. The showroom is far more than an exhibition area — it is a place where work, connection and atmosphere merge into a coherent overall experience.

At the “Talk Green To Me” panel at the Sedus Hub West in Düsseldorf, the spotlight was on a topic that has long shaped the company’s identity: sustainability as a seamless, integrated part of the entire product lifecycle—from development and tender processes to use, refurbishment and circular return. In conversation with Sedus experts Niklas Flum, Simon Roth and Konstantin Thomas, the panel explored how sustainability is put into practice across the organisation, offering strategic insights, market perspectives and a look into design and product development.

The SA8000 standard is an international standard that sets binding requirements for social responsibility within companies and throughout the entire supply chain. For Sedus, it is much more than just a certificate – it is an expression of lived values, ethical principles and a clear commitment to fairness, safety and transparency. But what does this mean in concrete terms for employees? Which aspects of the standard are particularly important to them in their everyday work?

In 2025, the Stoll VITA Foundation will celebrate its 40th anniversary. What began with a clear vision on the part of the founders is now an institution that provides sustainable impetus for the common good through a wide range of projects in the fields of health, education, research, and environmental protection and nature conservation. We take a look back at four decades of effective charitable work.

With the introduction of the SA8000 standard for social responsibility in the workplace, Sedus took another important step towards transparency and sustainable corporate management in 2023. However, the implementation of this internationally recognised standard not only had an impact on processes and structures – above all, it changed the way people communicate and collaborate within the company.

What most of us take for granted is an unattainable wish for many people in developing countries: the ability to walk. Due to illness, war injuries and accidents, many people in countries such as Uganda are affected by amputations and can no longer walk independently. Children lose their access to education and adults become unable to work. In many cases, this leads to social exclusion.

Vegetable consumption is widely linked to improved human health, thanks to its many beneficial effects, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. One vegetable that has gained increasing attention and research in recent years is red beetroot.

When young people end up on the street, they are often not only without shelter – they are also without support, without trust, without hope. The “#dranbleiben” project of the “Straßenkinder e. V.” association meets these young people exactly where they are: in the middle of a crisis, caught in a downward spiral, often stuck in seemingly hopeless situations. What makes this project special is its approach: persistent, patient, relationship-orientated. It is not about quick solutions, but about long-term support. It is about really sticking with it.

The introduction of the SA8000 standard brings numerous positive changes, but it can also pose significant challenges for companies. At Sedus, these were successfully overcome through cross-departmental collaboration, process optimisation, and active knowledge sharing.

How can a foundation remain vibrant when it is rooted in the legacy of a visionary founding couple? By translating their values into today’s world without losing sight of the challenges of tomorrow. Adelheid Kummle, board member of the Stoll VITA Foundation, embodies this principle. As a native of Waldshut, she is deeply connected to the foundation – and puts her heart and soul, vision and organisational skills into her work every day. In this interview, she talks about her personal motivations, the diversity of the foundation’s work, and the projects closest to her heart.