Hey there,
This week, I had the chance to speak with Selina Schröter, co-initiator of werkhain – a space in Berlin 🇩🇪 that redefines what coworking can look and feel like.
Alongside founder Manuel Leucht and a team of coworking enthusiasts, Selina helped transform a former gym into a creative hub in just 7 weeks.
The result? werkhain took home three prizes from the 2025 German Coworking Awards 🏆:
🥇 1st Place – Best Newcomer Space
🥉 3rd Place – Best Community Management
🥉 3rd Place – Best Coworking Space of the Year
I asked Selina what makes werkhain stand out and how they built it from scratch:
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Selina Schröter and Manuel Leucht in front of werkhain
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Hi Selina, can you tell us a little about yourself, your role in werkhain, and how it all started?
Hi, Georgi! I’m Selina Schröter, co-initiator of werkhain, Berlin’s boldest coworking space. Together with Manuel Leucht, the founder of werkhain and long-time expert in coworking operations, we brought our vision to life: blending Berlin vibes with modern workspaces—because we believe the era of dusty old offices is finally over.
werkhain was born from a very personal ambition: after years of operating and managing coworking spaces for others, we wanted to create a space that reflects our own taste, values, and energy.
We knew exactly what we loved, what we missed, and what truly brings people together, so we decided it was time to build our own community from scratch.And we didn’t waste time: in just 7 weeks, we transformed a former gym into what we (unapologetically) call the coolest coworking space in all of Berlin.
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💥 From Empty Gym to Community Workspace
How did you make all this happen in just 7 weeks?
It took blood, sweat, and a ton of excitement, but we made it happen. werkhain is now a place where people can work, recharge, and connect in a space that actually sparks joy.
None of this would be possible without our incredible team. Think of us as the Avengers of coworking. We all bring different strengths, and together, we’ve created something special that we get to share with all of you.
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🎨 A Design Inspired by Berlin’s Nightlife
werkhain’s interior is very brave and memorable. What inspired the look?
We started with a simple question: How do we want people to feel when they walk in? Our answer: Inspired. Curious. Maybe even a little disoriented (in a good way!).
Berlin’s club scene played a big part in shaping that vision. It’s about freedom and individuality. Instead of safe, neutral tones, we went all in—and it works. People are drawn to the energy and aren’t afraid to embrace something different.
Berlin, with all its diversity and raw creative energy, felt like the right place for this. And we were right: the people who come to werkhain are the ones who appreciate that we dared to be different.
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⚙️ Function First, Then Flair
How do you balance aesthetics and practicality?
We don’t balance, we combine. Functionality is always the foundation. Design comes on top to enhance the experience, not to compete with it. We know from experience what coworkers actually need: ergonomic desks, phone booths, meeting rooms, silent areas. Once that was in place, we added our aesthetic layer—expressive and bold.
Then we added our design flair: graffiti zones, vibrant lighting, and artwork. They energize the space and make it unique. But if you ever feel overstimulated or need to zone in without visual input, there are deliberately designed calm areas with minimal distraction.
In short: at werkhain, design never gets in the way of getting things done; it rather supports it.
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🖼 Art as a Core Element
Tell us about the art. How do you choose what to feature?
Art is part of our identity. Our graffiti concept was created by the talented Lea ( @hkubed), who brings raw, expressive energy to every corner of the building.
On top of that foundation, we’ve made it a priority to regularly feature local artists, whether through rotating exhibitions, performances, or concerts. What matters most to us is that our coworking community is always invited to take part in the experience. We always do a vibe check before collaborating—there has to be shared energy. And we’re always looking for new creatives to join in.
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🧠 Designing for All Kinds of Minds
How do you support different work styles and neurodiverse needs?
We’ve built the space around choice. Lower floors are social and high-energy (community kitchen, gaming area, rooftop). As you go up, it gets quieter, ending in silent floors for deep focus.
People can move through the building and find what they need based on their mood or task. That flexibility is built into the architecture.
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★ EXTRA Tip
If you're looking to make your own coworking space more inclusive, we’ve got two recent blog posts packed with tips and real-world guidance:
Inclusion starts with intention, and good design can make all the difference.
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🔄 Evolving Through Feedback
Have you made any changes based on community input?
Absolutely. Our members share feedback with us daily, often on Slack. We’ve improved the gaming area, started hosting LAN parties, and even rethought underused spaces like the gym.
We don’t treat feedback as something to collect and shelve. It’s part of how we design and grow.
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🧩 If You Could Start Again, Would You Change Anything?
Honestly, not much. One of the biggest advantages we had was our years of experience managing coworking spaces before werkhain. That gave us a solid understanding of what people actually need to work well, and allowed us to combine bold design with real functionality from the start.
But nothing is set in stone. werkhain is a living project, and we adapt as our community grows and shifts.
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Thank you to Selina for speaking with me today. We at Cobot can't be more excited to see what they create next and are proud that we play a part in supporting their journey. 🔵
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The topic for next week is:
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If you missed last week's newsletter, check it out here:
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Reply to this email if you have any questions, disagree with something I said, or have a suggestion for a collaboration/future topic. I'm always happy to stay in touch.
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See you next Wednesday and happy coworking! 🥳
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Harzer Str. 39
Berlin, 12059, Germany
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