JSPA Design presents the Yeahka headquarter office project, consisting of a refurbishment of three floors of the Kexing Science Park office building in Shenzhen, China, for a total area of 6000m2.
The design process began with the removal of all superfluous claddings and decorative elements to arrive back at the original state of the building structure. The idea was then to create openings in the concrete slabs to expand part of the space vertically, as well as to bring in more natural light and connect the three floors together.
Located on the middle floor, the entrance groups all public functions of the program: the reception area, a café, an event space, and a product exhibition area. It is organized in a long transparent strip, to allow total visual openness from one side of the building to the other. The geometry of the space is accentuated by a long reception desk sitting in front of the façade, behind which a landscape of cactuses filters the view to the outside.
The public entrance area is also dilated vertically, with a large opening in the ceiling expanding on three structural spans. Five meeting rooms are set-up in cantilever form in the void, appearing like glass boxes floating in the reception area. They play with the sensation of instability and create a strong spatial experience for visitors. Work stations are removed from public view, but the suspended meeting rooms serve to showcase the work activities going on in the offices. It creates an interesting relationship between a visual connection and actual physical distance among the visitor and the office’s staff.
The public area is also where a void on the three floors is created to become the main vertical circulation axis of the project. The staircase is conceived as a sculptural element composed of two L shaped structures overlapping, flying from floor to floor with no intermediary support. Its apparent heaviness contrasts with the absence of visible structure and projects a strong aerial feeling. The work stations are organized into small units. Similar glass boxes, hosting meeting rooms and private manager offices, are used to partition the work space into comfortable open spaces.
For the materials, the designers chose to use concrete block pavement, a commonly used outdoor public space flooring material, and to bring it inside of the office space. Through design, this very standard material becomes an interesting surface for the interior public space floor, and it even continues vertically on the walls. It’s rough finishing, emphasized by lighting, contrasts with very sleek materials such as glass, reglit, and stainless steel.
Team:
Principle designer: Johan Sarvan, Florent Buis
Photographer: Shengliang Su
Material Used:
Sanitary ware: SARVAN
