The brief formulated by KWG called for a solution that would make a statement about the company’s design-led approach to their property developments and impressing this upon their clients as the company expands into the Shanghai market. Accommodating executives, senior management, building professionals and designers this messaging was also important for staff, instilling a sense of collective pride and confidence within them all.
3rd Award- Global Future Design Awards 2020
Firm | SHH | Architecture & Interior Design
Architect/Designer | SHH | Architecture & Interior Design
Category | Corporate Interior Built
Team | Neil Hogan
Country | United Kingdom
Photographer/Copyright | ©Shoucheng Liang
The office space on level nineteen provides the main reception, boardroom and meeting rooms boasting views over the Huangpu River. Cellular offices for senior staff are located around the perimeter of the floor with uninterrupted river views. A casual creative hub is provided for design staff featuring a sample library and collaborative workshop space. An informal working and breakout space adjacent to reception is screened from an area of workstations by a perforated brass screen designed to provide privacy and separation whilst still allowing natural daylight to enter the space.
Level twenty is largely dedicated to executive facilities including VIP offices and suites for the company CEO and President. It also accommodates smaller areas of general workspace, a secondary reception and lounge, along with an additional breakout area.
From the outset a palette of high quality, natural materials were decided upon as a means of reinforcing the desired sense of quality in the spaces. Receptions use Grigio Argento marble for floors and wall panels, oak veneer joinery, Brown Silk marble and cognac-colour leather on reception desks. Being internal spaces, polished surfaces and integrated lighting were utilised to ensure they felt light and bright. A full-height polished brass wall in reception provides a privacy screen to the boardroom entrance behind it and anchors the space with its glowing presence.
A recommendation was made to form a new staircase between the two floors, primarily to aid circulation, encouraging staff to move freely between floors without relying upon lifts. The stair is finished in Grigio Argento marble, oak veneer and leather. Through a void in its centre rises an 8 metre high brass and glass display case which over time will be occupied by architectural models of KWG’s property developments.
General workspace areas have not been neglected and it was important that the sense of quality continued from font of house areas through to working areas. Wall panels lacquered in grey-green tones or finished in oak veneer run throughout these spaces. Suspended from ceilings are feature planters with integrated lighting which define circulation routes and provide visual interest at high level. The collaborative workshop has a cast in situ terrazzo floor, fabric-panelled walls and low storage units fabricated from perforated brass.
These general workspace areas were space planned in clusters of open-plan desks interspersed with built volumes such as meeting rooms, breakout spaces and the workshop, avoiding the problems created by large expanses of just open plan desks.
What was important in this project was giving equal consideration to all users of the space in the design response, be they clients, executives, or general staff members, creating quality spaces throughout that are enjoyable to work in.