The office, designed by the international practice llLab., defies the modus operandi established in the Chinese office, where hierarchy plays a very important role. LLLab opts for a fluid communication, where the glass partitions allow a dual use, both of "separation" and as annotation space. This materiality also allows a natural lighting of the large office spaces.
Another decision which goes against the commonly established is made in the process of creation. Specifically designed for on-site designs are made for the project , contrary to the prevailing process of prefabrication in the country.
The interior finishings of the walls combine reflective concrete, which creates a stark interior atmosphere, with areas covered by dark woods. This material adornates an area, indicating the uniqueness of the enclosed space (offices, meeting rooms, etc.). The furniture takes in this headquarter a vital role in the definition of the spaces, whose properties and function are defined by the type of furniture used and its arrangements.
Description of the project by llLab.
The restructuring of LEO Digital Network also brought an opportunity to creating a refreshing new image and taking the company culture to a complete new level.
Transparency.-
All meeting spaces and offices have been separated by using clear glass to allow natural light to be brought into the deep work space as a critical part of the design concept, to share, the space, the light and the purity of creativity. Meanwhile, it is to challenge the controversial term “transparency” in a stereotypically understood Chinese working hierarchy. The transparent, only separation between spaces become functional interfaces where meeting notes, brainstorming ideas to be written on, essentially omitting all boundaries and integrates all spaces.
Materiality.-
The tone of the entire space is designed to be raw to depict the creation process of ideas. Reflective concrete finishing has been applied to the entire open work space to reflect outdoor light to the inside. Ceiling is treated using concrete paint resembling the floor finishing, thus the lighter concrete finishing on the walls and columns dramatically brightens up the space and merges into the transparent clear glasses extending the space to the outside. Offices, meeting spaces and shared meeting points are highlighted using solid wood as “the ‘accent’ painted on the raw canvas”, giving a buffering and slower rhythm into the movement and providing transitional zones into the spaces.
Creative atmosphere (open and communicative space).-
Shared and communicative areas between teams in the o¬ffice are simply created by different arrangement of furniture, therefore, reconfigures the pattern of movement. Conference areas, shelves with books, drinks, plants in a variety of scales are carefully placed, illuminated by raw, industrial street-lamp like lighting, making the space as multi-functional as library, cafe and bar, a place where the new generation appreciates the most, where idea exchange is facilitated and encouraged in an unnoticeable manner, proactively challenging the conventional way of working. At night, the lights resemble the stars in the sky, breaking the boundary of the space, continuing limitlessly into the realm of imagination.
Making and Design process.-
To confront the impetuousness and ostentation of the current social phenomenon in China, LLLab intentionally challenges the design process. Numerous of samples and assembly iterations have been conducted on site. O¬ffice walls are constructed by designers, construction workers and the end users together to realize and optimize the functional and aesthetic desires based on individual demands, ex. o¬ffice walls as book shelves, drink collection display, green wall etc.
Meeting rooms, where all patterns were conceptually sketched and handcrafted on site, while having their own characteristics, the foldable glass doors in between could be opened up generating one or multiple event spaces. Meeting room tables are made as part of the timber floor, and then lifted up as the tables, which visually makes the meeting spaces more spacious and purer.
