Our design philosophy is constructed uponthe belief that a workspace is more than just a space for work;it's a living space. So, the project mission is broader than creating “productive” spaces. We want ourdesign to facilitate human wellbeing.In the design exploratory phase, we identified states our design should ignite: openness toward eachother, a sense of belonging, calm, safety, motivation to learn and discover and empowerment.
The project is headquarter office for the biggest healthcare company, Regina Maria, and it was set withina 700sqm open-plan area, occupying an entire floor of an office building, organized around a centralstructural core, with peripheral open spaces, some glaring by too much sun and others lacking naturallight.We need to accommodate 300 individual desks, meeting areas, and a cafeteria. Since some of the teamswere brought here from different locations, never working together before, our main intention was toconsolidate a sense of community.
That’s why we strategically distributed in the working-units sea, anarchipelago of communal islands (from small two-seat capsules to a spacious agora). To give more weightto this, we wrapped the central core of the building in a continuous finishing, which iscustomdesignedwallpaper. We've grouped storage (seamlessly integrated in the central core), printing units, and garbagebins to encourage movement through space and interaction among people.The conversational islands are raised from the floor, with distinctive ceiling aesthetics to define theirpurpose.
The agora isour favouriteplace since we managed to give meaning to a dark ample hallway andturn it into a vibrant gathering space. Here, people can eat, read, exchange ideas, make announcements,or simply pass through. The raised amphitheatrical seating rows werebuiltupon a metallic structure,covered withcork oleum, a 100%natural and tactile finishing.The overall aesthetic is played between natural shades and textures, simple geometries with curvilinearshapes and mostly on light design. The goal was to createa pretty uniform lighted space, with some focalglows on areas of interest. The intensity and light temperature adapt to natural light changes andcircadian rhythms, providing a dynamic environment that evolves during the day. We were very strictabout the warmth and color of the light: neutral spectrum, no more than 3000-3500k.Natural wood partitions add warmth and serve as a backdrop for the reception desk, designed withcurvilinear and inviting shapes.
Its lower height encourages communication, transparency, and ease ofinteraction. Each meeting room is subtly differentiated with restrained decoration and a focus on speciallighting, that creates a cohesive feeling through the focal glow.We've dedicated a special place in our office space to silent, solo spaces: meditation rooms with soft,soothing colors, natural textures, and the gentle play of light.A couple of extra bespoke desks were placed near the windows to offer a different point of view. Theirpurpose is to allow moments of lateral thinking,being visually connected to the outside powerful urbanpanorama and infinite sky.
For us it's not just a desk, it is also an emblematic object designed around the main logo elements (byextruding the 2d recomposed logo).The cafeteria is intentionally more stimulant, vibrant, disruptive, designed to infuse joy. Hosted in anirregular room with limited natural light, this space transcends its initial limitations to offer a juicy / spicyexperience. The irregular layout led us to design a central seating island that combines different types ofseating and fun interaction.
To offset the lack of natural light, we've introduced playful design elements thatbringcolor and character.Whether it'scolorfulchairs,whimsicalwallpaper, orhangingplants, every detail is a nod to imaginationand creativity.Another special touchisthe robust concrete columns, present throughoutspace. We designed a graphicat the intersection between Bauhaus and art deco, meant to turn them intomorefunny and slim pieces.For us, this project is about redefining the function of form. That is to nurture wellbeing, especially in aworking environment.
