Designed to reflect a highly collaborative co-working environment, this workspace offers a series of connected spots that present opportunities for workers to meet, discuss and share ideas in different locations.
PAND Design Group: When PAND International Design was brought in to refresh a multinational tech company’s workspace for their mobile and visiting staff, they infused the space with more than just colours and decorative details. They completely turned the existing space around and transformed it into a future-forward hub that facilitates collaboration at every corner.
“The client requested for a new co-working style environment to be incorporated into their workspaces,” explains PAND’s design team. “This new space is designed specifically for the company’s mobile workers and other visiting employees from their other Asia Pacific offices.”
As their visiting employees don’t require a permanent workstation, PAND went for an open floor plan anchored by a central work hub designed in a cube-like form. What stands out immediately are the rows of colourful lockers on the side of the hub. While these lockers primarily function to offer mobile workers a safe storage space for their belongings, they also inject a lively ambience into space with their multi-coloured doors.
Tucked to the other side of the central hub are phone booths which provide employees with a conducive place to carry out private work calls or small meetings. “Double glazing partitions for the phone booth ensures good acoustic for small meetings and phone conversations,” says PAND’s design team.
Surrounding this hub is a variety of workspaces with different seating styles, including a touch-down area, hot desks, phone booths, collaboration and meeting spaces as well as breakout spaces and a work lounge. Flexible and laid-back, each of these areas features different furniture pieces, material types and colour palettes. Creative details were also incorporated to give the spaces their own unique personality.
Close to the entrance is the touch-down area which is done up in a cosy bench seating style, creating an open atmosphere where employees can work alone or with others. On the wall behind the bench, a red band complements the red and blue meeting booths in the central hub.
“We wanted to create a working environment that inspires people and elevates their potential to the max by allowing workers to choose their preferred workspaces,” says PAND’s design team. “Through this new design, we are moving towards an activity-based work environment which is fast becoming a common practice in modern offices, especially for MNC companies such as this one.”
To facilitate different work activities, the blue and red meeting booths are equipped with power outlets along with LED screens to offer a cosy collaboration space for group discussions. Comfortably fitting four people at one time, each booth is kept wide open for easy accessibility.
As the workspace is not very large, PAND had to find innovative ways to fit in different working areas. “From a design perspective, the most challenging part was having limited space to work with,” PAND’s design team says. “To ensure we could accommodate their mobile workforce comfortably, we need to have sufficient working spaces, meeting spaces and circulation.”
To meet the company’s requirements, PAND incorporated another touch-down point by the window which comprises a high seating area with bar chairs along with bright-coloured sofas and easy chairs that look out to the city views. Colourful lockers create a visual boundary, separating the touch-down areas from the workstations right behind them. Next to it, bamboo planters infuse the space with a fresh appeal.
Over at another corner that has ample window views, PAND implemented a long counter with bar seats. All around, chairs and tables are placed in a cafe-like setting next to the pantry. Here, PAND maintained a bright and welcoming space with wood finishing and polished white surfaces.
The open layout is complemented by a private meeting room which doubles up as a recreational space. Featuring a ping pong table, employees are welcomed to use it as a meeting area or have a friendly game of ping pong with their peers. An operable glass partition is employed to connect the room to the other spaces outside.
Throughout the office, the co-working features come together almost effortlessly to create a series of versatile, highly collaborative areas. By balancing the socially-inclined spaces with the more private ones, employees are now offered more opportunities to foster better communication and interaction with their colleagues. The infusion of bold colours further increases the aesthetic value of these spaces.
“Every single one of the spaces is designed to be functional yet flexible,” says PAND’s design team. “We want this office space to accommodate a variety of activities. For example, the breakout space provides a fresher environment for a casual discussion and socializing while the meeting booths provide a great space either for small ad hoc meeting or as an individual workspace.”
Project: Multinational Tech Company
Design Studio: PAND Design
Photo Credit: PAND Design
Website: panddesign.com
