A well-designed office is more than a backdrop for work; it is a space that informs, influences and encourages a way of being for workers who inhabit the office for the better part of the day. For ADDITIVE’s new headquarters in Bolzano, Italy, NOA (Network of Architecture) set out to create an intuitive and liberating environment—one that employees could navigate freely rather than being confined by rigid workspace layouts. Spread across 850 sq.m. on the third floor of a building in Bolzano’s trade fair district, the headquarters is envisioned as a space tailored not for a public showcase but for the people who bring the company to life every day.

NOA is known for its spatially fluid and exploratory approach to design, often manifesting in architecture that is a varied conjunction of geometric forms intrinsically connected on the inside. The firm operates across multiple cities—Bolzano, Berlin, Milan and Turin—allowing for a broad yet interconnected perspective on design. The design brief is centred around flexibility and engagement for ADDITIVE, a company specialising in marketing automation software for the hospitality sector. The headquarters were not to be a traditional office but a place that reflected the company’s agile and digital-first nature. NOA responded by creating what they describe as a “navigable labyrinth,” where employees are encouraged to move, explore and interact with their surroundings. “Designing a headquarters that is not meant for external representation but conceived 100 per cent for those who work there was an exciting shift in perspective,” says Mara Jungmann, interior designer at NOA.

The layout departs from a conventional office design. Instead of fixed workstations and hierarchical divisions, the space is populated by a series of distinct ‘boxes’, each with a different function and visual identity. These boxes appear to hover within the larger volume of the office, an intentional nod to ADDITIVE’s software, which seamlessly integrates with various digital ecosystems. By designing a workspace that seeks to pervade hierarchy in its spatial syntax, the designers tend to subvert how one looks at office spaces and their functionality. It opens up niches for brainstorming and intermingling rather than a tiered approach to working together.

Workspaces are arranged as open-ended zones rather than compartmentalised offices. Employees can choose between bright, communal areas, quieter enclosed niches or casual meeting points depending on their daily tasks. “Each team member can explore the various boxes freely, selecting workstations and spaces that best suit their needs, with the flexibility to change them throughout the day,” notes NOA interior designer Niccolò Panzani. This setup eliminates the traditional rigidity associated with corporate offices and instead fosters a dynamic work environment.

At the core of the office is the communal space in the form of a long, multifunctional corridor stretching from east to west. It is designed as a social spine, encouraging spontaneous interactions and movement. This area includes meeting rooms, phone booths, a coffee corner and tiered seating for informal gatherings. A minimalist reception desk—crafted from perforated, backlit metal—marks the entrance, its understated design symbolising the primacy of the company’s work over its corporate branding. Employee lockers, designed as an intricate grid of doors opening in varied directions, add a playful, ever-shifting element to the space. On the southwest side, an indoor garden brings a sense of calm to the otherwise high-energy workspace. This 70 sq.m. open area further houses a kitchen, communal dining tables and lounge chairs in close vicinity, offering a break from the workday routine. A movable glass partition allows the space to shift between an open social area and a quieter retreat. The inclusion of greenery throughout the office contributes to a more relaxed and balanced atmosphere.

Materiality plays a subtle yet crucial role in reinforcing the project’s digital essence. The dominant palette is a spectrum of desaturated blues—a direct reference to ADDITIVE’s brand identity—complemented by neutral beige tones for contrast. The use of ceramic tiles arranged in pixel-like patterns, perforated metal, structured glass and reflective surfaces echo the structured logic of digital design. “We wanted to enhance each space with distinctive materials while maintaining an aesthetic consistent with the digital world: solid, tech-driven and rational,” Panzani explains.

Lighting is another integral part of the design, not just for functionality but also as a means of communication. Each workstation is equipped with individual lighting controls to adapt to different tasks, while LED strips in the communal areas serve as ambient markers of team achievements, subtly integrating the company’s workflow into the spatial experience. Screens scattered throughout the office display real-time updates on projects, creating a shared informational hub.

Rather than imposing a singular, fixed aesthetic, NOA’s design for ADDITIVE’s headquarters embraces adaptability. It is a space that allows its occupants to take greater charge of their environment, shifting between work modes, social interactions and moments of pause. As Jungmann puts it, “With ADDITIVE, we started from an empty box and transformed it into a galaxy of opportunities. Each team member can feel like a protagonist, freely choosing their place within this flexible architecture.” In doing so, NOA crafts not just an office but a living workspace that grows with its users.

Project Details

Name: ADDITIVE HQ
Client: ADDITIVE Srl
Location: Via Bruno Buozzi 2, Bolzano
Constructed Area: 850 sq m
Year of Completion: 2024

(Text by Arryan S Siingh, Intern at STIR)