IBA editorial team From 27 to 30 October 2026, ORGATEC in Cologne will once again be transformed into an international stage for the work environments of the future. In 2024, the IBA launched a new format that brings together decision-makers, visionaries and creative minds from all over the world: the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival. After a successful premiere, the festival will be held for the second time next year. One of the curators is Robert Thiemann, owner of Betterness. The IBA Forum editorial team spoke to him about the festival’s guiding principles and the highlights for 2026.
Robert, the premiere of the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival in 2024 was a complete success. What impressed you personally the most?
I was thrilled by the diversity of the people we brought on stage. From architects and HR experts to artists and chefs—the range of professions showed that the future of work cannot be designed in a silo, but instead only through an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas. Many visitors told us that it was precisely this change of perspective that inspired them.
There will be an extended programme in 2026. What is the guiding principle of the festival this time?
We have defined three major topic areas that shed light on the transformation of the world of work from different angles:
- Empowered Experience: How can work environments promote motivation, satisfaction and personal development?
- Connected Cultures: What role do hybrid collaboration, corporate culture and learning play in networks?
- Radical Impact: What impact will sustainability, disruptive innovations and artificial intelligence have on the future of work?
These three topic areas are a common theme throughout the programme. Our aim is to create spaces in which ideas can come to life—not just as theory, but in the form of tangible approaches.
You speak of “tangible”. What does this mean specifically for visitors to the festival?
The Work Culture Festival sees itself as a laboratory. We don’t simply want to offer presentations—we want to present real experiences. In other words, there are immersive installations, interactive workshops, artistic interventions and, of course, classic panels, but always in such a way that the audience becomes part of the action. In 2026, we will place even more emphasis on co-creation. Visitors should get involved, try things out and network.
What role does ORGATEC play in this?
ORGATEC is the ideal platform because it is the leading international trade fair for modern working environments. This is where business meets culture and the market meets vision. The combination of exhibition, festival atmosphere and discourse is what makes it so special. Many companies that showcase their innovations at the trade fair find that our stages offer them the opportunity to place their ideas in a wider cultural and social context.
What highlights can we expect?
Without giving too much away, we have once again invited high-calibre international speakers, from design icons and tech pioneers to visionary thinkers from the realms of science and art. I find the sessions in which seemingly opposing worlds meet particularly exciting, for example when architects discuss the work environments of the future with AI researchers or philosophers. There will also be performances and formats that you would expect to find at a festival rather than a trade fair, such as music, culinary highlights and installations.
2024 also focussed on the topic of generations. What role will this play in 2026?
A major one. Generation Z and soon also Generation Alpha have new expectations with regard to work, for example questions about meaning, flexibility, sustainability and diversity. The Trophy Office concept, which was already discussed in 2024, remains important: the office is becoming a symbol of identity and culture. In 2026, we will ask how we can link these demands with the experiences of older generations. Connected Cultures refers to precisely this type of bridge-building.
What role does Betterness play in your work as a curator?
For me, Betterness is a thinking space in which we combine social developments with design, architecture and corporate culture. We bring this perspective to the festival: it’s not just about nicer offices, but about work environments that really make people better, i.e. more productive, more sustainable, healthier and more inspired, to name just a few points.
Many companies ask themselves if it’s worth investing in the festival—as a visitor or a sponsor?
Definitely. For visitors, it’s the chance to experience concentrated inspiration, international networking and specific approaches to solutions within just a few days. The festival offers a high-calibre environment for sponsors: more than 50,000 participants, 100 international speakers, more than 75 sessions and a target group consisting of a high percentage of decision-makers.
A festival thrives on atmosphere. What can the visitors expect in Cologne?
We want to create a real festival atmosphere—with music, art and a variety of experiences that go beyond the classic conference format. It’s about inspiration, but also about enjoying the shared experience. We want people to leave the exhibition halls and say: “that was more than work—it was culture.”
What would you like visitors to take away with them in 2026?
I hope that they go home with new questions and new encounters. Not with ready-made answers, but with the feeling of being part of a movement. The world of work is changing rapidly. We cannot shape it alone. But we can think, discuss and try things out together. The festival is the platform for this. As a curator, I’m looking forward to being a part of it.
Robert, thank you for talking with us.
Robert Thiemann has been working for many years on the question of how the built environment can be designed in such a way that it promotes the well-being of individuals and communities while also reducing the impact on the environment. After more than 25 years at the interior design magazine FRAME, he founded the consulting and agency platform BETTERNESS. There, he works with companies and institutions on concepts and design commissions that are tailored to customers’ needs and contexts. As part of an international network, Thiemann brings together players from the fields of architecture, design, art, science and business. Further information is available at: betterness.space.
Footnote: The Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026 will once again be a meeting place for forward thinkers, decision-makers and creative minds who want to actively shape the world of work. Curator Robert Thiemann sees it as a stage for experiments and visions of the future—a place where culture, design, technology and entrepreneurship come together. Anyone who wants to experience the work environments of the future should come to Cologne in October—or find out more in advance on the website at www.iba.online/festival.
Cover photo: IBA/Betterness
