In the immediate post-pandemic period, YONDER reached out to us for the refurbishment of their existing office spaces. In collaboration with our partners at Format 4, we set out to create a new home base for the returning team and to breathe new life in an already existing context.
The office is in fact a manifestation of the thought process.
-vitra: the newspaper about work, issue #2
The space is located in the Office Building, Cluj Napoca, in the bustling centre of local IT development. This fast paced environment inspired us to incorporate various space typologies into our design: to bring the client’s work areas up to speed, while making room for meeting- and socialising areas for a more balanced composition.
With this step, the client wished to establish a new image, which meant finding a complementing colour palette to their brand-defining neon magenta and deep blue duo. Toning down the hues and nuances, bringing in warm textiles juxtaposed with deep red metal grids and topping it all off with wood-finishing and lots of natural elements provided the space with a fresh burst of energy.
At the heart of the project lies the Meeting Point - an area of informal gatherings organised around circular tables, removing the hierarchical dynamics inherent to polygonal compositions. We implemented soft barriers: floating textile elements which functioned both as a visual limit between one area and the next, and as necessary soundproofing in an otherwise open space.
The final look tackles the line between smart and casual, staying true to the client’s character and leaving room for employees to establish new routines and ways of existing in the post-pandemic workplace.
