OFFICE SPACES workplace design

This imaginative installation vibrantly relays the essence of innovation and collaboration

• Greg Quinn Apr 05, 2023
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Our client, a unique service firm poised at the intersection of finance and technology, was looking to create a flexible, open plan work setting which promotes collaboration and camaraderie, while incorporating the company identity into the design. This meant that our design approach had to capture the innovative spirit of the company, while also incorporating the evolving needs of their growing team.

Interior Designer: Greg Quinn, ARIDO

Design Team: Adrian Berry, ARIDO; Jillian Ross, ARIDO 

Design Firm: X Design Inc. 

Photographer: Steve Tsai Photography

Our goal was to incorporate brand presence without being overwhelming. We knew we wanted to create a feature design element that would encapsulate this international company’s branding, but also pay a subtle homage to their work in the tech field. 

This sparked the idea of how information is passed through an invisible string from point A to point B, which led us to a literal interpretation of cords in their brand colour running throughout the space to represent an exchange of information, but in a tangible way.

This corded element is important to the overall design as it associates the company’s brand colours with the idea of information transfer. The strings moving freely within the space mimic the movement of information between companies.

We also used the cords as an opportunity to visually divide the space while maintaining an open expansive floor plan. It was important to us and the client, to have the branding be present but from an interpretive, abstract perspective.

The space overlooks an internal courtyard with outdoor seating and landscaping. It was our goal to provide this feeling of expanding the space and making it feel larger by incorporating landscaped, biophilic design elements. By situating the workstations adjacent to this outdoor element, and between plant dividers, we created an airy feel of the outdoors for the client’s team. 

Aside from providing a sense of serenity and wellbeing, the two green walls flanking the workstation area are an eco-friendly choice for air purification, and temperature moderation in the office interior.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion were at the forefront of our design, and an integral element of the client’s vision for the space. The office is designed with an open plan, eliminating any semblance of corporate hierarchy and, instead, emphasizing team building and collaboration. The layout of the workstations allows for a free exchange of ideas and encourages a sense of community among all the company teams. 

We included a private wellness room which is distanced from the workstations to maximize privacy and tranquility and can be used for meditation, relaxation or as a private space for praying. We also made sure the entire office space is also barrier-free compatible.

The final design seamlessly incorporates multi-purpose, collaborative spaces into an open concept layout while infusing the aesthetic with vibrancy and personality. Every inch of this office space is utilised within the floor plan, with all areas intended to be used for gathering, collaborating or leisure. 

By including the corded visual installation that runs along the common areas in the firm’s signature hot pink colour we successfully incorporated brand presence without being overwhelming.