OAG office

Masao Nishikawa

• Architects

This is a renovation of the head office of a corporation that unites 14 groups including a tax accounting firm located in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.

The purpose of the renovation was to consolidate the bookshelves, meeting rooms, and break areas, which were previously scattered among different departments on each floor, onto a single floor. The purpose of the renovation was to create communication among employees who had not previously interacted with each other, to create opportunities to come into contact with books and other materials they had never encountered, and to create a space that would serve as the face of the corporation, which is important for customer service and recruiting. In addition to functional improvements, the client wanted to create a vibrant office that would also motivate employees.

photo_credit Masao Nishikawa — Masao Nishikawa

The main entrance welcomes clients, and the renovated floor houses an archive of the firm's published and owned books and materials, as well as a mix of large and small conference rooms, online meeting booths, free-address desks, and lounge areas.

The building is a 35-year-old SRC office structure with an impressive concrete frame and evenly spaced windows, rather than modern glass curtain walls.

We felt a sense of a pleasant space being created by these neatly arranged windows, and wanted to create a new landscape where the various activities of the people working in the office mingle with the expanse of space that could not be felt in the existing office.

In planning the project, we first took the existing windows, which are a distinctive feature of the building, as a clue and set up a new grid on the ceiling. We then arranged the meeting rooms and bookshelves along the grid, and arranged the furniture so that the blank spaces could be used as free-address spaces or rest areas.

The floor had been closed off by the private rooms and the corridor created by the private rooms, but by placing the meeting rooms away from the windows, a continuous space was created near the windows, creating a comfortable place to feel the light and wind. The staggered arrangement of the meeting rooms also created an alley-like complexity, creating several small gathering spot. Visitors can choose where they want to stay depending on their purposes and uses.

The new ceiling grid not only provides a clue to the layout plan, but also gives the space a sense of discipline and gravity.

The type of business this company operates in makes it difficult to work remotely, so people spend a lot of time in the office, but we hope that by scattering small places of residence with somewhat of a residential atmosphere, each employee will find a comfortable place to work and create a different way of working.