Deutsche Bahn Ideenzug / Agile Project Lead, Product Design

Sebastian Brunner for Deutsche Bahn, DB Regio (contracting by Hays)

Image copyright: Oliver Lang for Deutsche Bahn

In July 2021 Deutsche Bahn, DB Regio has presented the IdeenzugCity mock up to the public. It demonstrates the future of high capacity metropolitan train services by automated seat layouts, flexibly shifting between capacity mode and comfort mode. To transform low emission urban transport we need to bring 1 BLN more people into the system until 2030 in Germany alone. Sebastian’s DB Team, the train designers of neomind Design Studio, the mock up builders of Hubl & Hubl and more than 40 industrial partners worked for the result for two years. Together with Carsten Hutzler of DB, Sebastian had the privilege to lead the project from a white paper to implementation. By a design thinking approach, rapid prototyping and user tests it is breaking completely new ground for a unique customer experience.

Sebastian is responsible as project lead, the moderation of multiple stakeholders and design strategy.

Juni 2019 - July 2021

Video copyright: Oliver Lang for Deutsche Bahn

Automotive Industry/ Strategic Brand Experience Consulting

Sebastian Brunner at Diverse Agencies

As employee and freelancer within different agencies, Sebastian Brunner has consulted various automotive brands as a strategic lead. He developed comprehensive strategic innovation, retail and exhibition concepts. Creating innovative prototypical and visionary formats was at the core of the collaboration. Amongst other innovation topics, Sebastian helped automotive brands to create future and innovation centers, to go beyond the point of sale and to design a point of experience.

Otto-Quartier Wendlingen / Urban Planning, Real Estate Branding, Pitch & Implementation

Sebastian Brunner at blocher partners and HOS Gruppe 

Blocher partners has developed the master plan for the new construction of a mixed-usage quarter for housing, workspaces and recreation facilities in Wendlingen, Germany for the HOS-Gruppe and CG Gruppe AG. As a Design Strategist, Sebastian Brunner was part of the architectural team, later commissioned by blocher partner and by HOS Gruppe for collaboratively conceptualizing strategic design principles, the moderation of several strategy workshops with HOS-Gruppe, for real estate brand strategy and naming. The work was conducted by a human centered approach.

On the grounds of a former textile factory a modern, 69 000 sqm rental space, mixed-usage quarter is arising that features housing, workspaces, recreation facilities, hotels and gastronomy. While the 19th-century industrial architecture unique to southern Germany will be preserved and sensitively supplemented. An intelligent transportation concept as well as the usage of the former factory energy and water infrastructure mean that the quarter will be the first »Zero Energy/Zero Emission District« in Germany. The Otto Quarter was selected to be part of the Internationale Bauausstellung StadtRegion Stuttgart IBA’27 for being future oriented, sustainable, human centered and of international relevance.

Year 2017-2018

Bilderstrecke:

https://tinyurl.com/y8txbncl

AOK Project House Ludwigsburg / Workspace Design Strategy

Sebastian Brunner at blocher partners

Work environments in the post COVID age might look like this: Routine work is either automatized or done from home office. Workspaces bear the purpose of employer brand experience, networking and the adaption of innovative work methodologies. Team members join physically only for a limited time in an intensive event-like break out setting, guided by skilled moderator-hosts, shared meals and with co-living accommodation.

Some of these aspects can be found in this project: AOK Project House. Blocher partners turned a warehouse of the industrial GETRAG Areal in Ludwigsburg into a 1474 sqm workspace prototype for the AOK health insurance. The space is geared toward agile project work that should be rolled out into the company after a testing phase. The agility in the workstyle was mirrored by a high level of spatial flexibility, openness and adaptability.

The concept is based on the division into project groups. In addition to permanent workplaces, there are open, creative zones and relaxation spaces. Various meeting rooms with flexible wall elements can be used for private discussions or open workshops. So called Moving Spaces with large, adjustable whiteboards create environments for brainstorming.

As a design strategist, Sebastian Brunner was part of the blocher partners design team. He moderated the strategy workshop with AOK that lay the foundation for the design work. The approach combined principles of design thinking and serious play. It aimed to integrate AOK staff and blocher partners employees into a collaborative, transdisciplinary design team.

AOK Project Report:

https://tinyurl.com/yavv5hnj

UK Pavillion UK 2020 / Design Pitch

Sebastian Brunner at Avantgarde

Images © Es Devlin

Avantgarde cooperated with Es Devlin on the competition of the pavilion for the UK Government at the Expo 2020 in Dubai. Sebastian Brunner was hired as a freelancer by Avantgarde. The role of Sebastian was the development of a strategic brief, exhibition content and a visitor journey design. The theme of the “Poem Pavilion” design by Es Devlin, is based on the “Breakthrough Message” project of Stephen Hawking. AI technology will be used to creating a collaborative “message to space” from the participating visitors. The UK sees in „New Space“ an important future industry.  If there is extraterrestrial life, humankind has to develop a common language to communicate. The UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai will be conceived by award-winning designer Es Devlin OBE and produced by global brand experience agency Avantgarde.

Berliner Sparkasse / Retail Design Pitch & Implementation

Sebastian Brunner at Strategy & Space in cooperation with blocher partners

The Berliner Sparkasse is creating a retail environment for the digitalization of its business model. The concept of blocher partners architects and Strategy & Space is applying the principles of user experience design to the physical space. This user centric approach allows the seamless integration of the digital and the physical customer experience. The retail outlets become "Kiez" neighborhood community meeting places for digital, financial and social inclusion.

The design aims to generate a more casual, private and cooperative interaction between the consultant and the customers. Therefore an innovative consulting table and work pool set up was created. A digital customer guidance system eliminates waiting lines and allows more efficiency. Tablets and free WiFi enable employees to go through a digital onboarding process with clients that are less familiar with online services. The "Kiez Lounge" welcome area provides news about the neighborhood, voluntary initiatives can use the space for meetings, local enterprises can present themselves and events can be held here. 

In a partnership with blocher partners architects, Strategy & Space won the idea, design and reconstruction pitch for the Berliner Sparkasse retail outlets. During the pitch and the subsequent assignment by the Berliner Sparkasse, Strategy & Space has developed the strategic concept and customer journey design. In addition to that, Strategy & Space was responsible for user research, mock-up tests and the moderation of co-creative workshops with retail staff, customers, management and design team.  

The concept was implemented at Alexanderplatz in 2018 and Karl-Marx Straße in 2017. The Berliner Sparkasse invested approximately 3 Mio. euros into the redesign of the outlet Alexanderplatz with its 1200 sqm and 50 employees. The reconstruction of more retail outlets is planned.

The Berliner Sparkasse was founded in 1818, has almost 2 Million clients, about 22 Bln EURs in deposits and 214 retail outlets. 

Year: Since 2016

FIFA World Football Museum in Zürich / Museum Design

Sebastian Brunner at Triad Berlin

Triad Berlin has designed a museum that serves as a vibrant meeting place for the global football family in Zürich's Enge district. The Museum is based on the strategic idea of "global encounters". This refers to the philosophy of the FIFA. The organization is not only staging competitive sporting events, but is also creating a social platform for bringing together people from around the whole world into one central live experience.

The FIFA Museum uses an interactive and multimedia-based approach to show how the ball game has always inspired people. As a participatory museum, visitor can be an active creative contributor, exhibiting his or her own thoughts, feelings and memories connected with Football. 

As strategy lead, Sebastian was part of the team at Triad that won the pitch. He is the author of the guiding idea of the museum „Global Encounter”.

Dominika Brunner as interior architect and scenographer was part of the design team.

Year: 2013-2015

Gentleman’s Kitchen / Kitchen Design

Dominika Brunner at Strategy & Space

The interior designer Dominika Brunner has realised her vision of an apartment kitchen as a culinary meeting place in a 19th century building. It’s placed in Prenzlauer Berg, a historical location between East and West Berlin.

With the directly adjacent Mauerpark, street trees and improvised neighbourhood flower beds, the old apartment looks as if it was part of an urban garden. This situation was the starting point of the main idea for the kitchen design.

A layout of the Wilhelminian and GDR era had its challenges. The kitchen was relocated to the place of the former bathroom and hallway. What initially looked like a weakness, the designer has turned into the impressive signature of the apartment. The kitchen thus fulfils a purpose that it often had in the pre-industrial past: it became the central meeting point, which closes the main entrance axis. A generous east-west axis runs perpendicular to it across adjacent rooms on both sides.

The typical cooking space was converted into an inviting bar, which exudes the atmosphere of an English gentlemen’s club. The monumental-minimalist furniture in oiled oak and dark forest green is complemented by grey stone slabs, massive metal handles from Buster+Punch and bar stools from Frama. The dominant room shadow is balanced out by carefully planned lighting. A hand-blown pendant lamp from Artemide and flexible spotlights from Mawa create spatial comfort. The kitchen is filled with travel treasures such as ceramics from Japan and Mexico, or wooden bowls from Laos, Ethiopia and South Africa.

In einem Berliner Gründerzeithaus hat die Interior Designerin Dominika Brunner ihre Vision von einer Wohnungsküche als kulinarischem Treffpunkt verwirklicht. Der Ort liegt im Prenzlauer Berg, an einer historischen Lage zwischen Ost und West.

Durch den direkt angrenzenden Mauerpark, Straßenbäume und improvisierter Nachbarschaftsbeete wirkt die Altbauwohnung, als wäre sie Teil eines urbanen Gartens. Diese Situation war Ausgangspunkt des Leitgedankens für die Küchengestaltung.

Die Küche befindet sich an der Stelle des ehemaligen Bades und des Wohnflurs und somit im Zentrum der Gesamtfläche. Der spezielle Grundriss war eine Herausforderung, jedoch macht die Platzierung der Küche nun die Einzigartigkeit und den eindrucksvollen Charakter der Wohnung aus. Als Mittelpunkt des Zuhauses erfüllt sie so einen Zweck, den die Küche in vorindustrieller Zeit häufig hatte: ein zentraler Treffpunkt, welcher die Haupteingangsachse schließt. Senkrecht zu ihr verläuft weiter eine großzügige ost-westliche Achse über beidseitig nebenstehende Räume. 

Der typische Kochraum wurde in eine einladende Bar umgewandelt, welche die Atmosphäre eines englischen Gentlemen’s Clubs ausstrahlt. Der monumental-minimalistische Möbelbau in geölter Eiche und dunklem Waldgrün wird ergänzt durch graue Steinplatten, massive Metallgriffe von Buster+Punch und Barhocker von Frama. Der dominierende Raumschatten wird durch eine sorgfältig geplante Beleuchtung ausgeglichen. Eine mundgeblasene Pendelleuchte von Artemide und flexible Einbaustrahler von Mawa schaffen Behaglichkeit. Den Raum füllen Reiseschätze wie Keramik aus Japan und Mexico, oder Holzschalen aus Laos, Äthiopien und Südafrika.

Photographer: Adam Naparty

Year: 2019/2020

Kitchen LB / Kitchen Design

Dominika Brunner at Strategy & Space

A timeless blend of an oak and grey frame kitchen made for the modern lifestyle of an American couple in Berlin. Its calming environment harmoniously disposes the dining and living arena on the opposite side. A granite countertop with a little backsplash enhances the balance with the cabinets.

Year: 2020

Status: ongoing

Coffee Bar in Czech Republic / Retail Strategy, Business Model & Interior Design

Sebastian Brunner & Dominika Brunner at Strategy & Space in cooperation with Denisa Strmskova & Jan Kosatko

The coffee expertise will become the centre stage, visible at first and for everybody.

A branch of international coffee company in Czech Republic repositions its image and develops a new business model.

The strategical idea “Accessible Coffee Experts”, is based on the brand DNA. Unlike many baristas, the new staff are approachable companions. They provide, both competence and accessibility at any time. This theme is implemented in every touch point of the customer journey.

The space is fluently divided into zones of expertise and accessibility. Surprisingly, yet elegant and sophisticated, it expresses the complexity of coffee. The aesthetic principles are based on the origin of the brand in 1950s mid-century design through combination of soft organic curves and clear modernist Bauhaus shapes.

Visualisation 1: The Barista Stage implements accessible expertise. All the coffee equipment is carefully curated so it does not create barriers between customers and baristas. It also provides hight workflow efficiency. Product and preparation become an experience.

Visualisation 2: The Digital Order fulfils the exceptions of mobile customers. The refined interior architecture combined with user-friendly service design (multiple order options) brings new qualities for ‘Third Wave Coffee’.

Visualisation 3: The Coffee Lab implements accessibility. In the foreground The Cupping Table assures the programmatic diversity. The flexible usage includes i.a. ‘Accessible Coffee Experts’ in cupping workshops for visitors, curated product displays, barista competitions. As hight table increases frequency inviting short term customers. The interactive sample dispenser leads to customer synergy. The digital information displays teach about product values. The classical retail is thematically differentiated: The Brand Product Walls (on the right) and Coffee Lifestyle Walls (in the background) complement each other.

Visualisation 4: The second entrance to the coffee bar also surprises. The spatial planning is varied - the widely placed Chatting Stairs simplify spontaneous customer interaction. The Cosy Corner along the whole side enables longer stay. The Wall of Coffee Wonder (on the right) sparks curiosity and the Digital Order enables a swift service.

Visualisation 5: The Working Zone on the mezzanine consist of the co-working table and chill-out corner. It attracts different target groups.

Visualisation 6: Detailed view of The Barista Stage.

Year: 2018

LaGeSo Berlin / User Experience Design for the Registration of Refugees

Sebastian Brunner and Dominika Brunner at Strategy & Space in cooperation with McKinsey & Company

In commission of the president of the Landesamt of Gesundheit und Soziales, Berlin (LaGeSo), Sebastian Brunner conducted an ethnografical research and the design of a refugee journey map. Sebastian gained deep insight by accompanying refugee families through the registration user experience. He also interviewed employees of the LeGeSo and the Police. As a result the touchpoints and painpoints of the registration process were displayed from the perspective of a refugee. Based on these insights, Sebastian developed pragmatic solutions for the LaGeSo and the Berlin Police. The project was planned in cooperation with McKinsey & Company.

Year: 2015