The new business incubator was developed with the involvement of users. The adaptable working world features an array of different spaces to create an environment that fosters creative interaction and collaboration between start-ups, the university, and business. The building is not just a place to work and try things out, but also a space for recreation, events, and new experiences. The architecture and the interior design takes its cue from a wish right from the start that the building would not be merely a conventional office block, but a thinktank with the feel of an industrial workshop, all in line with the motto of “keep it simple”. The InnoDom was commissioned by the Cologne University Foundation and serves the main user the University´s Excellence Start-up Center as well as students who have founded companies and service providers who support start-ups.

Two striking, monochrome spaces, each with its own unique atmosphere, really make the building stand out. They offer users added value as the ideal place for: Lounging about – Inspiration - Kicking off communication - Experiencing new things – Informing - Touching base = LIKE IT. To the outside, the two-story staged spaces with their panoramic glazing are like stage sets, acting as beacons visible from afar. With confidence and appeal, they communicate the thinktank’s unconventional and diverse usages to urban Cologne 24/7. LIKE IT 1 offers everything, with a broad range of different functions: from staggered seats for meetings and a bench at the panoramic window to a climbing/hanging wall where users can get physically active. LIKE IT 2 can be used in any number of different ways, be it to grab a quick coffee with colleagues or for informal lectures or joint events.

The open office areas allow for both concentrated and inventive work but also teamwork and informal meetings: from permanent workstations in the form of single desks surrounded by 3D acoustic screens or double clusters, through to teamwork spaces with bench layouts, or even the touchdown zones that can be configured at will, the InnoDom provides all manner of options for New Work. Closed offices complete the range.

Supplementing to the indoor workstations, the InnoDom features a total of three terraces. All three differ in terms of shape and positioning and the resulting usage concept. Users thus always have the opportunity to include time away from their desk in their workflow.

The interior design also helps create an atmosphere that combines thinktank and workshop. A free approach to materials, an open fit-out, and monochrome-colored accents meld to paint a highly vibrant overall picture. Sound-absorbent wall and ceilings surfaces, ceiling absorbers, and furnishings enhance peace and tranquility, concentration and productivity at work. The office fit-out largely relies on steel, wood, linoleum, and fabrics, and can by and large be recycled or possesses a high proportion of recycled materials.