Art, architecture and sustainability merge in The Cube, the new office building designed by danish studio 3XN. Located on Washingtonplatz, this work of art will be the new heart of the historic square.

The building is part of the Europa City master plan, an urban project based on 61 hectares of land nearby the main train station located in central Berlin, close to political and cultural institutions. The objective behind it’s to give a new face to this German city, where living and working are not exempt from services and amenities.

Attractive architecture, apartments with a view of the water, green squares and waterfronts are other hallmarks of Europa City. So it’s no surprise that the bet of The Cube fits perfectly with this plan. The beautiful and breathtaking building rises in this emerging urban district as a new milestone of sustainability, design, digitization, and comfort.

Sculptural on the outside and functional on the inside

With a total area of 19,500 m2 of a modular and highly flexible high space, The Cube Berlin has 10 office floors, a ground floor food market and office lobby. It also has underground parking, a rooftop terrace and optional conference areas.

According to the design team responsible for this building, the same is intended to be a catalyst for social experiences, both inside and out. Its four facades interact creating a subtle boundary between the interior and exterior spaces. In fact, 3XN architects added geometric transformations in all their directions with a prismatic pattern through reliefs with a triangular surface to delight passers-by. This obviously turns the building into a true work of art that can be appreciated from any angle.

In its flexible interior, The Cube can meet the functional demands of any type of office. The floors are arranged around a central area and can be divided into separate units or connected through internal joints. Its creators explain that their main idea with this was to encourage communication and social activity through dynamic connections in the workplace.

As if that wasn’t enough, its glazed facade is highly energy efficient. The facade has an osmotic skin and its smart design includes a pioneering application with solar coatings. Also, the building has a set of technical solutions that include the capture of heat energy, which means that The Cube represents high energy efficiency in a building.

A thinking building

The Cube Berlin is truly a next generation smart building that sets new standards for the integration of digital user interfaces. In fact, users/tenants can interact with the building through their own personal device and download an app that supports sustainable behavior; increases energy efficiency that reduces unnecessary operating costs and maintenance irregularities.

The app allows users to interact with their workspaces in unprecedented ways. The Cube tenants will have at their disposal a number of smart and customizable features that will allow them to control things like access, indoor heating and cooling, maintenance, power supply, room and parking reservations, electric car/bicycle charging, and more.

All operational building information is stored on a large “digital brain” server that connects individual smart systems. But the most interesting aspect about this building that can remind us of a sci-fi film, is that it will establish a feedback relationship with its users that will allow both ends to learn from each other. Yes, as you have read, the building learns to adapt to the preferences of those who inhabit it, while they can control and adapt the configuration of The Cube according to their desires and needs.

So, if you thought you’d already seen it all when it comes to architecture, we are certain that after reading this article you’ll know that there is much more to be seen.