Functionality and colorful aesthetics are merged creating an open workspace that inspires creativity, innovation, and collaboration in BOSCH Headquarter Office in Shenzhen, in line with the latest corporate guidelines and brand visual identity.
Embracing Bosch's Brand Evolution
Our interior design at the Bosch Headquarters in Shenzhen is not just a project; it's a bold statement that resonates with Bosch's commitment to innovation and excellence. We are proud to have been part of this transformation, aligning our design with Bosch's latest brand guidelines released in 2023. This visionary move encompassed updated visuals, logo, patterns, and color schemes, ensuring that the design reflects Bosch's evolving identity while providing a comfortable working environment within a modern and appealing look.
Reviving the Space
The renovation of the entire building was a comprehensive endeavor, beginning with the exterior facelift and extending to three entirely renovated floors of interior spaces. On the third floor, which houses the new headquarters offices, our design aimed to foster a sense of unity, creativity, and productivity.
Open Spaces for Collaboration and Relaxation
The core concept for the third floor revolves around an open office layout. Here, casual meeting areas and relaxation zones effortlessly intertwine, promoting a dynamic and collaborative work environment. Visual separation between these areas is artfully achieved through the strategic use of color patterns on grey-toned carpet tiles and a variegation of ceiling treatments according to functions.
Ceiling Innovation
The ceiling design plays a pivotal role in creating an engaging atmosphere. A raw, entirely black ceiling conceals cables and equipment, maintaining a sleek and clutter-free aesthetic. In some areas, we introduced an extra layer of metal slabs or acoustic panel stripes to create a faux ceiling, such as in the offices and meeting spaces.
In the open workspace area, we employed a lowered, suspended white ceiling adorned with squared holes. These apertures serve dual purposes, allowing for hanging lamps and housing air conditioning systems. Each hole's edge is tastefully painted in one of the colors from Bosch's corporate identity gradient palette.
Visual Continuity and Fractal Fluency
The distinctive pattern of geometries suspended in the ceiling subtly extends to the entrance wall and is resembled in a micro scale as a pattern in the carpet tile design. Inspired by nature's fractals, this "fractal fluency" pattern not only adds an aesthetic appeal but also reduces physiological stress levels. It engages observers' eye movements while walking though spaces, mirroring the calming effect of staring at nature.
Transparency and Collaboration
Even in enclosed spaces, such as the director offices and HR and financial departments, transparency remains a key theme. Glass walls offer visual connectivity throughout the office, emphasizing the ethos of open collaboration and transparency. Custom patterns applied as stickers on the glass partitions as well as the signage and intuitive infographics without text allow easy navigation throughout the building, enhancing somehow the inclusivity aspects considering the multi-faceted nationalities and spoken language of different employees.
Vertical Wall Surfaces
The vertical wall surfaces are thoughtfully articulated to enhance both aesthetics and functionality.
In circulation areas, a plain white paint finish promotes a sense of openness.
Within the offices and meeting rooms, we employed white patterned wallpaper and matte pvc surfaces. The textured finishes elevate the materiality of the space while the pvc also provides practicality. The matte pvc surfaces double as whiteboards and magnetic walls, facilitating extensive interactivity and collaboration among employees in different areas, from the meeting rooms and closed offices to the open areas and communal zones.
The foyer showcases the Bosch corporate colorful gradient pattern as a backdrop to a set of magnetic panels, creating a versatile communication board for all staff. This very same gradient, in its grayscale version, graces the walls of the two director offices, adding an intriguing yet sophisticated corporate visual to the space.
In areas where staff have the opportunity to casually meet, extensive green walls for wellness provide more than just aesthetics. They offer a positive atmosphere, transmitting positive emotions and enhancing acoustic performance, contributing to a healthier and more productive workspace.
Color Palette and Brand Identity
We intentionally selected a neutral color palette for envelope surfaces, with dark ceilings, white walls, and grey-toned flooring creating a calming backdrop. Vibrant accents are introduced through furniture and decorative elements, applying Bosch's corporate gradient pattern to the crown edge of faux ceilings and on the vertical surfaces of communal areas such as corridors, foyers, pantry backlash, outdoor glass canopy, etc. This not only adds a refreshing pop of color but also establishes a visual identity that is uniquely Bosch.
“The design of the Bosch Shenzhen Headquarters exemplifies our commitment to merging functionality, aesthetics, and brand identity, creating a workspace that inspires creativity, innovation, and collaboration.” say the duo of Italian architects.
