1xCAMP Berlin 2024: Meeting up in the vibrant capital of Germany

The annual 1xCAMP is an integral part of our remote work culture, bringing together team members from our four office locations and across Europe. Meeting up once a year gives us the chance to reconnect, build relationships, and welcome in person the new colleagues who have joined over the past year. This year's gathering took place in Berlin and the exceptional hospitality of our Berlin-based colleagues made it a super special event.

24 hours in Berlin

Trains and planes from various locations in Europe converged on the capital for a 24 hour urban adventure before heading to the north for a peaceful lake retreat. Everyone checked into the lovely nhow Hotel, overlooking the River Spree and the iconic Oberbaum Bridge. We enjoyed dinner together in the evening, followed by an impromptu office party. Everyone was curious to see the Berlin workspace, and we managed to squeeze 64 people in the attic office in Friedrichshain!

A morning tour of Berlin's urban charms 

We spent our first morning together sightseeing, our Berlin colleagues keen to show us the best of their city. There was a whistle stop tour exploring some of the most iconic sights of the city, from the TV tower to the Brandenburg Gate. Some colleagues chose to visit the East Side gallery, the murals on the relic of what was the Berlin wall, where history, art and culture converge. Another group took an e-scooter and bike tour of Treptower park, an oasis of green in the city.

1xSWAG - Berlin themed goodies 

The 1x design team prepared a beautifully presented swag bag with a super cool camp t-shirt featuring a streetwise Berlin pigeon. There were also some Berlin flavoured goodies, including the famous liquor Berliner Luft, the cult like traffic light gummies, and currywurst spices so that everyone could take a taste of the famous Berlin sausage flavour home. We even had deluxe X shaped donuts to enjoy on our bus journey to our retreat venue.

Lake Tollensesee 

Our retreat venue was the exceptional Bornmühle Spa Hotel by Lake Tollensesee. We kicked off with a canoe trip on the lake which was great fun. Back at the hotel, we enjoyed an amazing supper followed by a “get to know your colleagues better” quiz game. Who worked as a prison guard for a year? Who was born in a truck? Who speaks 5 languages? Who had lived in 5 countries by the age of 20? Sharing funny facts and surprising stories was a really good way to get everyone talking, sharing, laughing.

Workshop - sharing vision and building a future 

The workshop time we had together was the foundation of our camp and what binds us as a team, strengthening our professional relationships. We received updates on the company,  current projects and priorities, aligning our values and goals to ensure we move forward together as a cohesive unit. During open discussion sessions, every voice was heard, highlighting problems and proposing solutions, underlining the roles we each play in building our collective company future. It was a valuable opportunity to connect professionally in person.

Al fresco dining - good food, good music and good fun

The workshop was followed by a really special outdoor dinner - freshly cooked food enjoyed in good company, good times enjoyed in the fresh evening air. Our Berlin colleagues prepared a special music bingo featuring music from various countries, genres and eras. So much fun and so many laughs with dancing and prizes!

Friendships were forged, visions aligned, and new colleagues welcomed, while we also bid farewell to those moving on to other countries and other ventures. It is heartening to see that the team looks forward to meeting up, already talking of the next gathering. Where will we go for 1xCAMP 2025?!