Headquarters in Miguel Hidalgo

A top-performing information technology company needed a new, larger and functional new headquarters and commissioned us to produce a design that reflected the company’s reputation for excellence. Functionality lies at the core of our proposal. To cater for several activities within a single space, we decided to work with transparent elements and thus create a virtual and well-ordered spatial integration. We divided the space into areas for the reception area, senior executive office suites, and the other departments (accounts, human resources, operations, business and sales). By working with multi-level platforms and different materials we generated different ambiences in a single space. This zoning approach provides a visual order to the entire space. Marble-clad surfaces on two of the finishes provides orientation for circulation and signals the shift between areas. Wood paneling in the meeting areas make the spaces more comfortable and visually more dynamic. We incorporated a wooden design according to studies on how employees moved through the office; it also created special lighting conditions in the main lobby and the ceiling of the senior executive offices and became a signature design element for the headquarters. The main office area is the most dynamic space and it inspired us to accentuate its height and width, and to achieve an implicit sense of order. We accomplished this by dividing up the big areas with different textures, colors and heights, while visually combining them to create a feeling of harmony. We also decided to expose the headquarters’ structural and mechanical features, resulting in higher ceilings and different feelings to the spaces. We added touches of color to the wood panels and furniture in the communal areas, where the wood has a natural finish and is laid horizontally to emphasize the sense of dynamism. An industrial and robust feel is suggested by the large gray steel panels used for the office spaces and storage areas, analogous to how the company’s history is also safeguarded.