"Der Spiegel" Canteen in Hamburg
After more than 40 years in the gaudy orange canteen of famous Danish designer Verner Panton, the staff of “Der Spiegel” publishing house now dine beneath circular soffit islands the colour of egg yolks which swim in a sea of more than 4,000 shimmering mirrors. The Ippolito Fleitz Group faced a difficult task as successors to Panton, for his design had elicited a highly emotional response. They opted for an architectural language that was independent of the Danish designer, and they succeeded in giving the canteen a new, distinctive appearance. The soffit, as the element that lends identity to this space, undoubtedly assumes a central position in the design. The image of water is adopted as a reference to the location of the building in the harbour. Almost incidentally, it would seem, the canteen meets all technical requirements as well. Good acoustics and non-glare lighting were essential to create the appropriate atmosphere for an exchange between colleagues over lunch and to help them relax. The culture of conversation and the exchange of ideas enjoy a high status in this publishing house. Members of the staff can use the canteen at all times of the day and night for discussions, events and celebrations on a larger or smaller scale. In future, it is planned, a menu system will allow them to order their meals from their workplaces and then be served at the dining tables in relaxed surroundings.
