A morning at ST3AM
Vox pops from the new world of work
ST3AM fans since day one: the v.works team around CEO Markus Wogatzki (middle), Paul Bolte (left) and Patrick Herholz (right) © WISTA Management GmbH
Our reporter Despina Borelidis checked in at ST3AM © Vanessa Madec
Every person needs a “third place”, wrote the American sociologist Ray Oldenburg in 1989. Unlike a person’s home or place of work, The Great Good Place, as he called it, functions somewhat like the café in the sitcom Friends. A space where no one has to “perform” and things happen spontaneously and casually. Thirty-five years later, a study by the Technical University of Darmstadt concluded that—in addition to their (home) office—most people yearned for yet another third place. One for working. As a novel workplace at Adlershof Technology Park, does ST3AM have what it takes to become this third place? Our very own Despina Borelidis paid a visit to find out.
Even for Apple and Google Maps, this address is still brand new. It officially opened in January 2025. I can’t find ST3AM right away, but the moment I step into the building, I am already fully immersed. Behind me, automatic glass doors close, and the noise from the Rudower Chaussee main street fades away. Before me, a large, lobby-like space opens up, with a full-height atrium above.
Although some of these rooms and corridors are huge and cover a floor space of 3,000 square metres, my steps sound muffled. No echoes, no clinking. Architecturally, the space combines lots of concrete with even more glass, but also wood with upholstery, vinyl with wooden flooring, and suspended ceilings with thick carpets. These muted sensations are also reflected by the colour palette: beige and brown tones alternate with gold, grey, mustard, and forest green. To me, it feels clean and cosy at the same time.
In close proximity, there are innovation rooms, various meeting spaces, and a maker space with a mechanical workshop, a VR and AR studio, as well as several 3D printers. Those seeking quiet for focused work will find it in the “mind spas”—one of which is located in the so-called Event Arena. Even here, absolute silence, clarity, and a zero-gravity chair are just a door away.
“For us, the move was definitely an upgrade,” says Markus Wogatzki, managing director of v.works and a ST3AM tenant from day one. His team builds technologies that connect businesses with valuable contacts: “We make the right connections. Using our machine-learning-based software, we generate detailed personal profiles from huge datasets, such as social media platforms and trade registers. We then compare these with the target group criteria of our partners through an automated process to uncover hidden opportunities for collaboration.”
The result? A scalable, AI-personalised approach via LinkedIn and all digital channels—for sales, recruitment, or investment.
The company shares a large office space on the first floor with two other companies. “The space is modern, representative, and comfortable. Clients definitely also like it. We always get positive feedback,” says Wogatzki. It’s ideal for networking, says his colleague, Paul Bolte. There are numerous options for retreating, including meeting boxes and other semi-private spaces. “When we have calls and team meetings, we don’t disturb anyone, and we can also engage with each other without being disturbed.”
What about presentations? The large meeting room with its screen, long table, and pendant lights has proven very popular. And smaller meetings? “The swings in the hallway, just outside our room,” adds Patrick Herholz, the CTO of v.works.
Naturally, the kitchen is also a central meeting point at ST3AM. Although I don’t meet anyone this time, it’s not hard to imagine the spacious room on the first floor full of people. The lobby on the ground floor also offers ample room and potential for networking events, which is fitting, seeing as the WISTA Academy is directly adjacent. The Academy seeks to attract experts and knowledge seekers with an extensive programme for qualification and further education to the space at Rudower Chaussee 28. The previously mentioned v.works is also planning to host events at ST3AM. “Here, we get to exchange ideas and meet with people working on things that we would never be able to access otherwise,” explains Wogatzki. The v.works team has already connected with the other tenants. And so, it seems like ST3AM offers more than a promising vision for a modern world of work. It also sounds like a space that has the potential of becoming a third place.
Despina Borelidis for Adlershof Journal