July 6, 2026–The international working world will meet at ORGATEC in Cologne: The Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival that brings together thought leaders, decision-makers, and creative minds from business, architecture, design, HR, technology and real estate. During October 27 to 30, 2026, ORGATEC will be shaping the working world of tomorrow in two halls, with lectures, panels, workshops, interactive formats, and inspiring exhibitions.
Held every other year, thousands of American facilities managers, interior designers, architects, and office furniture industry professionals travel to Cologne, Germany, to experience ORGATEC. See What ORGATEC 2026 has to offer. Under the banner of ORGATEC PERSPECTIVES, the international trade fair for workspace and contract solutions will present two curated special showcases that respond to key future topics for contemporary work environments and other spaces used for professional purposes, bringing them to life in spatial and design concepts. They will be closely linked to the structure of ORGATEC’s exhibition segments for workspace and contract solutions.
CLOSER: Interaction and sensory perception in contract design (Hall 4.2)
Curated by Berlin-based Studio Hanne Willmann, the special showcase in the contract solutions segment is titled CLOSER. It will explore how contract design can encourage individuals to connect with themselves and with others. Its multisensory approach will link functionality with the sensory experience of space.
A fusion of architecture, materials, light, sound, taste and room scents will create an ambience that fosters exchanges of ideas and brings perception to the fore. The concept is based on four key pillars: an open, nest-like architecture, multisensory experiential spaces, material innovations presented in cooperation with leading manufacturers and reconceptualized formats – ranging from a bar and cinema to a light installation that reflects emotions, and encompassing a space for meditative retreat.
“WORK–PLAY”: Play as a catalyst for the imagination (Hall 7)
In the Workspace Solutions segment, London-based design studio Pearson Lloyd presents an immersive installation that challenges the modern assumption that work and play belong to separate worlds.
For much of history, play has been understood not as distraction, but as the condition in which ideas emerge. Yet many contemporary workplaces still reflect systems designed to manage repetition and control rather than creativity. WORK–PLAY proposes an alternative. An adaptable spatial environment continuously shifts throughout the day. Visitors are invited to participate individually and collectively, exploring how movement and shared activity shape the way ideas emerge. The installation becomes a living environment where play is understood not as escape from work, but as a catalyst for imagination and new forms of collaboration.
The focus will be on three central themes:
- Empowered Experience – New working environments that boost motivation and satisfaction
- Connected Cultures – Hybrid collaboration and corporate cultures that connect
- Radical Impact – Sustainability, disruptive innovations, and AI as drivers of the future
“Given the continuing challenges facing the market, particularly in several key European markets, the current registration figures underscore the international importance of ORGATEC 2026,” says Maik Fischer, Director of ORGATEC. “The trade fair thus remains the key gathering place for companies, industry professionals and decision-makers who are actively contributing to the evolution of new working and contract business environments.”
The list of ORGATEC exhibitors will be updated regularly with new companies and content. The exhibitor search function gives visitors an up-to-date overview of the range of international companies at the trade fair.
For more information, visit ORGATEC, and Tickets for ORGATEC 2026.
