HONG Designworks, approached the offices of the New Silk Road Office as a space where colour palette coordinates with form, and in the process, introduces a humanistic element.
Taking inspiration from Le Corbusier who was a great believer in the power of colours in making a space more impactful. Chief designer, Dang Ming explains: “Based on Le Corbusier’s masterpiece Architectural Polychromy, he summarised two colour collections in 1931 and 1959, with 63 colours arranged in different spatial moods. In the article “Purism” he co-authored with Amédée Ozenfant in 1920, he mentioned that shades could be arranged hierarchically and defined the first range of colours as “la grande gamme”, which consists of hues such as ochre, red, brown, white, black, blue, etc. and of course their derivatives. According to Le Corbusier, those shades are stable, powerful and capable of holding the canvas because they can be mixed harmoniously; those are essential colours that can be utilised in all great eras, and those are the ones necessary to express the sense of volume in painting.”
The project is a corporate office situated on the 33rd floor of Maike Center, Xi’an High-tech Industries Zone, China. Through adopting a brand-new design approach, the chief designer Dang Ming approached the workplace with the sensibilities of an artist, and injected modernism and humanism into the space to create a unique ambience.
The architectural space is static, but users’ visual and emotional experiences vary from scene to scene. The reception area presents the first impression, with curved lines producing a futuristic feeling. Symbolising the possibilities of creative thinking, the vibrant curves make the space more playful and enrich the expression of spatial moods.
The spiral reception desk is combined with the crimson curtain, together generating dramatic visual effects while also concealing the equipment room behind.
Different from traditional companies, the client is an electronic business firm, which requires greater flexibility with few fixed work stations. Taking this into consideration, the design team didn’t adopt conventional cubicles, but instead created several independent functional areas that can constitute a large holistic gathering space when combined together.
At the same time, the team utilised red, white and pink tones to form a multi-layered workspace based on the colour theory of Le Corbusier.
Inside the reception foyer, there are two eye-catching cylindrical structures that respectively function as waiting area and reading area. Featuring white exteriors and red interior finishes, the volumes take on a futuristic and stylish form. The designers hope to calm people in these two semi-enclosed tranquil spaces before they walk into the office area.
Embedded ceiling lights flexibly run throughout the space in accordance with the circulation and spatial structures. Characterised by folding and sweeping forms, the lights weaken the straight lines and rectangular structures of the space, and realise natural transition between different areas.
Colour palette plays a prominent role in the design, functioning as the demarcation of specific areas. White is the prominent tone, which dominates different volumes in different scenes; dynamic red hue enlivens the spaces and creates dramatic visual effects; and the rest of the hues, such as pink, are used to coordinate the ambience. The combination of different colours contributes to shape the overall spatial form.
The office rooms of the founding partners are set in the innermost area. The external wall adornments utilise sound-absorbing materials, which are conducive to ensuring a tranquil working environment in the rooms. The simplistic furnishings and furniture as well as green plants make the interior comfortable and tasteful.
The ceilings in the office rooms and meeting room feature white perforated aluminium panels, which create a flexible spatial ambience and generate soft and lightweight visual effects together with the lighting.
Project details:
Chief designer: Dang Ming
Design team: Wang Qing, Yan Zhen, Wang Haichuan
Detailed design: Xie Xu, Ao Qinge
Construction firm: SDCIC Construction Group Co., Ltd.
Area: 650 m2
Main material suppliers: Bolon, Milliken, Kvadrat, JEB, novacolor
Furniture & lighting fixtures: Arper, Steelcase, LaCividina, Lee Broom, Waldmann, Vibia
See the full image gallery here:
Photos: Tan Xiao
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