Bavarian Auto Supplier Embraces Ancient Indian Design Doctrine in €200,000 Office Overhaul
Published on 08/06/2026 at 00:10 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
The workspace at Autoelectric's Floß headquarters is undergoing a quiet revolution — one rooted in principles that predate the industrial age by millennia.
Around 500 employees at the automotive components maker will see their desks repositioned and entire departments rearranged as the company rolls out a redesign guided by Vastu Shastra, the traditional Indian architectural philosophy. The project carries a price tag of roughly €200,000.
North-East Corners and Facing Directions Take Centre Stage
Vastu Shastra, often described as the Indian counterpart to China's feng shui, operates on a set of spatial prescriptions. Rooms should keep their north-east corners clear, and desks ought to be oriented so occupants face north or west. Even maintenance habits factor into the doctrine — broken objects are supposed to be fixed without delay.
None of these measures have been validated by scientific research. That hasn't deterred the company, now part of the Motherson group, from committing wholeheartedly to the approach. For the Upper Palatinate site, the investment signals a tangible shift in corporate culture.
Colour Psychology Moves Into the Workplace
The push toward more intentional office design extends well beyond Vastu. Colour psychology is gaining traction among workplace planners: blue is said to sharpen concentration, green to restore balance, and yellow to spark creativity. Design consultants often point to the 60-30-10 rule, which allocates colours into dominant, secondary and accent roles in those proportions.
Parallel trends are surfacing internationally. An office building in Guangzhou, distinguished by its organic forms, has already collected design awards. Osram, meanwhile, had long made lighting concepts and flexible spatial layouts central to its facilities.
Digital Vastu Advice Arrives
Interest in Vedic consultation is climbing, and the market is responding with tech-enabled offerings. AskVedicaa, an AI platform providing astrology and Vastu guidance, went live in early August — evidence that ancient traditions are finding a foothold in contemporary professional life.
A Divided German Office Property Landscape
Autoelectric's renovation stands in contrast to developments elsewhere in Germany. In Mainz, an administrative building owned by Schott AG is being demolished, its substance deemed no longer fit for purpose. Konstanz took a different route, converting a former Telekom high-rise into residential units — a model that gains relevance given the country's shortfall of roughly 1.4 million homes.
New construction continues in other corners. AuCom's customer and administration centre in Sendenhorst is nearing completion, with staff moving in at the end of August and an official opening scheduled for September 18. Even as hybrid work arrangements persist, companies are still placing deliberate bets on physical premises.
