Until recently, the offices of the German chemical giant Bayer in Bogotá were located in an industrial zone, far from the city’s corporate hubs. This peripheral location led the company to consider relocating to a more favorable area.
The chosen site for the new headquarters was the Torre Sapiencia building, a modern ten-story construction developed by Javeriana University. This AAA-category mixed-use building is located in a prominent area in northern Bogotá, close to public transportation systems.
To bring this relocation to life, Bayer entrusted Contract Workplaces with the development of its new office project, spanning 2,500 m² across three floors.
The spatial design was aligned with the “Next Normal Office” concept, a global strategy adopted by Bayer for its workspaces to address employees’ new demands and expectations post-pandemic: flexibility to choose when and where to work, prioritizing in-office collaboration, and providing spaces adaptable to different work styles. However, this is not a one-size-fits-all solution; it is customized locally to meet the requirements and cultural nuances of each country.
Building on this foundation, and incorporating the needs program and usage ratios provided by the client, a conceptual design was developed based on an analogy with organic chemistry, dubbed the “sustainable system.”
The design features a zigzagging longitudinal circulation inspired by molecular bonds, connecting various work areas—collaborative zones
Design and construction: Contract Workplaces
Photography: Jairo Llano