Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, relocated its Zurich-based headquarters to a new building, commissioning Evolution Design to develop the new offices.

The project brief was to create a strong connection to Barry Callebaut’s culture and its confectionary products and create an exciting workplace that puts employee well-being and sustainability at its heart. To respond to the brief, the architects conceived a design concept that reflects the variety of flavours, aromas and textures of cocoa products. A myriad of materials, patterns, haptics and graphics have been applied: Textures of sustainably sourced wood and different fabrics, natural materials – like the upcycled cocoa husk flooring, saffron flower wallpaper, cork and moss – and a combination of earthy colours reflect the chocolate company’s ethos of sustainability, innovation and sensory pleasure.

An integrated chocolate academy enables staff and visitors to watch the chocolatiers creating new products and taking part in masterclasses, while internal staircases connect cosy coffee hubs on all three floors, encouraging staff circulation and creating a sense of a journey through the various zones.