Eyes on the prize: The winners of the German Design Awards 2023 | News | Architonic

Recent changes in the workplace have been striking. Long periods of home-office time have meant that many of us now see the office much more as a place of meeting and exchange. Instead of static walls and fixed desk spaces, employees increasingly demand flexible areas that adapt to our daily activities, changing teams and multi-layered projects. To this end, Palmberg’s modular, electrified movable wall system Clamp creates customised and acoustically quiet spaces in open-plan offices whenever and wherever they are needed and, for this reason, was awarded ‘Gold’ in the ‘Product Design’ category by the GDA jury. How the use of indoor and outdoor spaces has changed is also demonstrated in the ‘Architecture’ category. Here, MVRDV’s Rotterdam Rooftop Walk received the highest accolade. This temporary, 600-metre-long pedestrian bridge expands the open urban landscape without using up extra space by adding a second level to the existing urban fabric. Interior project Clinica Alejandria by Erre Arquitectura in Valencia was also awarded ‘Gold’ and is an example of how healthcare facilities can be turned into feel-good spaces. A sacred, sober and elegant space was created in the existing building, characterised by organic forms, clay mortar and a well-considered lighting design, thus conveying a sense of relaxation as opposed to one of sober hygiene.