DESIGN OFFICE

Existing approachThe office is located inside an old house built in the typical modernist architecture of South Vietnam. The existing floor of the house is planned according to the usual layout of the townhouses with the staircase axis in the middle dividing the block into two parts. This plan turns the floor into two halves with big differences: the front half almost dominates with windows to get light, the spacious balcony area faces a quiet landscape; the other half is in stark contrast to the limited room area, dark and almost completely separate. Comparing the current situation with the need to renovate as a design office space, we need to find a solution to connect the entire space in the face of great challenges of the division and l... More

‘What does a typical day here look like?’ At the end of a job interview, this is one question candidates often ask to get a feel of the workplace. At one time, the interviewer may have launched into details about the work timings, lunch hours and coffee breaks. Now however, in most modern organisations, the interviewer is unlikely to be able to give a singular, straight answer.   This is especially true in a company like Vanke. As an urban and rural development provider and a living space management company, the firm has too many diverse business interests for the work roles to fit into traditional definitions. With their operations expanding and diversifying even further, Vanke’s leadership team wanted to shift to... More

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” So the popular saying goes.   But for the investment management firm, Arisaig Partners, this saying is not just an empty philosophy — it forms the very DNA of their corporate brand. This focus on unity and togetherness is evident in the way the company functions. Its employee-owned approach means that there is a strong feeling of ownership and belonging among those who work and manage the day-to-day functioning of the firm. They offer boutique services, which allows them to work very closely with each client and stakeholder and form long-term partnerships — so that eventually, these clients end up feeling like an extended part of the Arisa... More

OPEN & COLLABORATIVE Peak Reinsurance Company Limited is a Hong Kong-based modern and dynamic reinsurer, supporting the development of the global reinsurance industry with a special focus on developing markets. They came to Space Matrix for a new workplace design that would transform their old ways of working and improve staff well-being and wellness. They wished to move away from a traditional layout with 120-degree high partitioned desks, into an open, activity-based working (ABW) environment with height-adjustable desks, flexible meeting areas, collaboration spaces and breakout areas that will enhance collaboration, cross-department communication and support a variety of working styles. As space allocation (desk area and desk size p... More

Those driving down Gurgaon’s Golf Course Road might slow down at seeing a gorgeous piazza-like forecourt of an eye-catching entrance, done up with greenery, artefacts and featuring a massive rustic double height door. If you’re headed to the Space Matrix [β] Lab (Beta Lab), you’ll know you’ve come to the right place.   [β] Lab — The Genesis [β] Lab is not just a design studio or a workspace — it is an amalgamation of various work environments that function as a testing ground, both for us and our clients. One might say it’s a real-time workshop that brings together the art and science of design, essentially in permanent beta mode. Over the last few years, work has ste... More

If there’s one thing that has become clear over the last few months, it is the importance of social connections in the modern workplace. In the past few weeks, most people experienced feelings of isolation and loneliness, even as they enjoyed the flexibility of working remotely. In fact, in a global survey we recently conducted, over 85% of respondents said they missed face-to-face social interactions. Companies need to keep this in mind while rethinking their workplace strategies. While they design new policies to make remote working a bigger part of their operations, they also need to make sure that when employees interact, they do so safely and in the most meaningful way possible. When Space Matrix worked with the global marketin... More

The year is 1919. The place, Cisco, Texas. A young Conrad Hilton arrives in town with the intention of buying a bank and becoming a banker. He changes his mind at the last minute and buys a hotel instead. And so begins the journey of the iconic Hilton hotels.   Back then, the hospitality landscape was very different. Hotel lobbies were not air-conditioned, public rooms did not have cold running water. Televisions in each guest room was unheard of. All this was soon to change, as Hilton hotels evolved, thrived and grew to set a new benchmark for luxury in hospitality.    Much has changed in the industry since then — and Hilton has been at the forefront, leading these changes. As the brand entered its 100th year, Spac... More

Workplace design as a recruitment strategy: 3 takeaways from City Facilities Management   First impressions matter. This is one statement that people interviewing for a new job are used to hearing. Irrespective of how well qualified they are, they’re advised to dress professionally, be neat and tidy, and have their resume neatly organised so as to make a great first impression when they step in for that job interview.   But what a lot of employers don’t realise is that it works the other way round too — job interviews are where candidates form their first impression about the company. Millennials and Gen Z employees form a large part of the workforce today, and these employees look beyond just the salary when... More

3 things that happen when designers design their own office space   As a part of our global expansion plans, Space Matrix branched out into China through the successful acquisition of Muraya last year. Our initial conversations with Muraya told us that this interior design and construction company shared a lot of our core values and cultural beliefs. Together with their talented team, we looked forward to better servicing our clients in Australia, India and Southeast Asia.   But first, we needed a gorgeous office for our newly expanded team in Shanghai. We wanted to rebrand the existing space to reflect its affiliation to the larger Space Matrix family. Moreover, the way we work has changed a lot over the last few years, and w... More

Implemented a project for the reconstruction of the premises of a historic building in the city center of Kyiv.The multifunctional office covers an area of 450m\2  and is located on 3 floors of the building. The office includes the workplaces of employees.Learning centers with classrooms. And also a conference room. More

The typewriter, the floppy disk, the pager — all these office staples were breakthrough technologies in their time. Today, you would be hard pressed to find even a single one of these items in a modern workplace.   With technology and design evolving at breakneck speed, staying relevant in an ever-changing market is no mean feat. As most companies realise, future-readiness is the key to success. Being future-ready however, is not just about the products you create — it should also be reflected in the space you work in. It is no longer enough to design workspaces for immediate requirements. One needs to anticipate future needs, plan for growth and design a comprehensive future-facing workplace strategy.   This is es... More

Walk into any high-end gym today, and you’ll see that they are more than just a collection of intimidating machines. They are likely to have a retail store selling sports gear and a nutrition booth selling post-workout smoothies. They may even partner with local health food stores to save you a grocery run while helping you stay on track with your diet. In other words, they cater to every aspect of your fitness goals.   Gone are the days when businesses just provided singular products and services. With consumer needs and lifestyles evolving fast, companies now have to identify customers’ pain points and offer comprehensive solutions. Businesses that provide combined services thus, are fast becoming popular. Today, we see... More

Thanks to technology and international exposure, most companies today are highly globalised. A senior executive in the US may spend much of his day collaborating with his peer in the company’s office in China. Both executives speak the same language, use the same technology and operate on similar company values.   However, local cultural context still plays an important role in the way companies function. After the meeting, the executive in the US may go back to the open workspace, sit right next to a junior employee and take decisions consensually with his team. The executive in China, on the other hand, may still value his hierarchical standing, and prefer to work from his corner office. A forward-thinking company finds a way... More