Architecture
The Tower Studio, Fogo Island
Fogo Island is the largest of the offshore islands of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Island is quite small, home to only 3,000 people, but two community groups, The Shorefast Foundation and the Fogo Island Arts Corporation, are committed to rejuvenating the history and culture of the island through arts. The joining foundations have commissioned Norwegian architect Todd Saunders to create six structures on the island, which will act as artists’ studios.
Three of these studios have already been completed, and now a fourth, titled the Tower Studio. The all black structure, which can only be reached by foot, tilts forward and backwards as it twists up towards the clouds. A large triangular skylight allows for an abundant amount of natural light to pour into the double-height artist’s studio on the second and third floors. The studio provides captivating views of the lake – mixed with the natural silence, the tower is sure to be inspirational place for an artist at work.
(Photography: Bent René Synnevåg)
Städel Museum Extension, Germany
Frankfurt’s Städel Museum, hosted a design competition back in 2008 in efforts to bring in a fresh architectural team to design a new wing for the museum. Fast forward to today, Schneider+Schumacher Architekten, the winners of the competition, have completed their vision. The 33,000 square foot addition was designed with the purpose of housing the museums contemporary art collection. Because of the modern intention of the space, the Frankfurt based firm wanted to create a contemporary structure to suit the art. Schneider + Schumacher constructed a super cool subterranean space with a grand central staircase and 195 circular skylights, which creates an awesome white patterned effect on the museum lawn.
The space was designed with the utmost flexibility for change within the museum. White is the dominant color of the interlocking galleries, which allows for exhibitions to transition easily. Interior partitions create a flexible route through the museum, and are conveniently adjustable depending on the needs of the current art show. The impressive rolling lawn is designed to create an exciting lighting effect at night time too, as the circular skylights glow from the light in the new structure below.
(Photography: Norbert Miguletz)
The Plaza Condesa, Mexico
The architects over at Esrawe gave Mexico City’s Plaza Condesa a new face lift – no, seriously. The team of talented visionaries stepped in to add three new levels onto the facade of the performance theater, which now provide a ticket sales, reception to elevators, and souvenir shop.
The renovation stirred up some strong feelings about how exactly it would authentically pay homage to the buildings 1950′s roots. Esrawe wanted to Take inspiration from the time period that gave rise to the building, (the transition from modernism to post-modernism), it reclaims the value of functionality and applies it to the present time.
The existing structure consists of 6 levels, a mezzanine and basement. Presently the ground floor has a lobby area, bar, coat room, kitchen, storage rooms, restrooms, and a stage with its backstage dressing rooms and bathrooms. The other levels house offices, more storage rooms and restrooms, and multiple halls.
Esrawe construct the three levels above the lobby which lead into the performance hall, along with a little sprucing of the performance theater itself. Vertical wood panels dress the walls of the lobby and flow to the walls of the floors above, only stopping at window displays which pay homage to Mexican music and culture in the 1950′s.
The gray ceiling and theater facade divide the wood and have disc looking rings of light which are scattered on the wall and up to the ceiling, creating a very theatrical lighting effect.
Inside the theater – Esrawe designed an over sized angular custom pattern and turned it into a wall paneling system which acts as the dominant decor feature in the space. The vibrant and dynamic new venue is sure to attract the worlds biggest acts!
(Photography: Guido Torres)
Kaffee Headquarters, Germany
One of Germany’s most beloved coffee brewing companies, Kaffee, has just moved into their curvy new 106,000 square foot headquarters. 3Deluxe, the visionaries behind the architecture and design of the project, wanted to combine the effect of a striking sculptural architecture with the functionality of commercial workplace needs for 300 employees. The result of this idea manifested into a 4-story, asymmetrical, form-flowing layered structure.
Every morning, employees are greeted with a drive through coffee shop, giving the people of the company a moment to experience the products of their company on a daily basis.
Asymmetrically curved facade bands connect all the buildings and flow together, you would never guess there is actually an orthogonal grid of the underlying concrete frame.
The interiors follow in suit with the exteriors; form flowing. The walls undulate to become seating and desks, the floors pop up to create benches, and the walls break open to create shelves and lighting.
Ultimately, the team at Kaffee wanted the expressive architecture of the new headquarters to be established as a fundamental part of the company’s branding, because competence and innovative spirit is their mantra.
Palencia Civic Center, Spain
This just might be the coolest renovation we have seen in some time. Exit Architects have just transformed a 19th century prison into a super sleek civic center in Palencia, Spain.
The architecture & design team at EXIT has gained a quality reputation for creating stellar projects for health care institutions, cultural & educational centers, and museums; in a way where they introduce bold architectural elements into the interiors. In the Civic Center for Palencia, The impressive architectural addition to the old masonry building consists of zinc metal panels and U-glass, which is just a peek as to what has evolved on the inside.
The interiors, once dark, have been given light by the inclusion of several skylights which were added when parts of the old clay roof were removed. The octagon shaped great wall is the main public space, which has an inviting atrium with enclosed glass cylinders reaching from the floor to the ceiling, each are filled with rocks and a single tree.
The bold architectural is complemented with a clever mixture of natural and artificial lighting. Fluorescent tube lighting is used to create dynamic streaks in the atrium ceiling, massive skylights, and lines of lights make the walls sparkle in the theater. It must be the true marriage of thought evoking architecture, design, lighting, and function, that make this project quite a success!
(Photography: Fernando Guerra)
Konzepp Store, Hong Kong
(Photography: Geoff Tsui)
The Hill House, Melbourne
Things have been getting very interesting down under lately! Specifically Melbourne, Australia – where big risks are being taken to develop dynamic architectural pieces. Most recently is the Hill House which has spawned from one of our favorite experimental architecture firms, Andrew Maynard Architects.
Design principals Andrew Maynard, Mark Austin, and lead architect Michael Ong, wanted to create a smart, yet playful home for their clients – a family of five with three small children. On the site, an existing structure had been built in the 90′s, but Maynard’s clients wanted to explore further to add on or fix their slightly problematic home.
The architects first challenge was to capitalize on the sunlight. “The site faces north therefore relegating the backyard, the family’s primary outdoor space, to shadow throughout the year,” they noted. The team proposed the build of a cool new structure on the southern edge of the site. The new structure faces the sun, the pure cantilevered box above acts as the passive solar eave, cutting out summer sun, while letting winter sun flood in.
With the addition of this new structure, the backyard became a central common space for the family. The grass slopes up into the side of the home and creates a grassy knoll on the second floor as well. The slope idea was originally meant to be stairs, but the concept evolved into a hill after concluding that it is nicer to enjoy the sun on a slope, rather than stairs…and there, the Hill House emerged!
(Photography: Andrew Maynard Architects)
Caro Hotel, Spain
Valencia’s Caro Hotel occupies a building that dates back 2,000 years. Experiencing the hotel is like pulling back layers of history – a mosaic Valencia founding of Roman from the second century BC, a staircase from the early 19th century, an Arab city wall in the hotel’s cafe from XII Century, and several Gothic arches and nineteenth-century construction details, all in one place.
The team behind Caro approached Francesc Rifé, the principal at Barcelona based design firm Francesc Rifé Studio, to come in and streamline the establishment. Caro wanted Rife, who is known for his warm, yet contemporary style, to add architectural elements to the building that reflect modern design. Creating these elements that represent the moment is another way to continue these historical layers of the building, a way to experience the past, and the present, at the same time.
Rife divided the hotel up into 26 suites, each room is designed different from one another. One room is in the attic, where rustic wood beams slant down creating low ceilings, while other suites have high ceilings with grand murals and crown moldings. A glass floor was added into the hotel to allow light to travel from the sunroof to floors below, Rife designed a cool moss garden that grows on one of the floors – a small, yet unforgettable design feature within the hotel.
(Photography: Caro Hotel)
Koban Police Station, Japan
Generally when we think of Police stations we envision drab colors, cold cement floors and double-paned glass (not to mention those super-cozy looking stainless steal toilets they have in the drunk tank.) At best we imagine the crappy 70’s haunt where the Chips duo park their choppers. Well, the force is coming back in full force. We’re talkin’ the rainbow, swiss-cheese-esque aesthetics of the Koban Police Station, envisioned by architect Mark Dytham of Klein Dytham Architecture. (Where is Koban you ask? It happens to be in Kumamoto, the most southern island of Japan) The space that’s reserved for impounding criminals is awash in bright colorful hues, friendly curved walls and a graphic polka-dot pattern that slices through perforated steel. Beaming rays of sunlight cut through the orifices and cast happy pops of sunlight on the surrounding pavement. It’s quite possibly the friendliest police force we’ve ever seen. Literally. Those Chips guys can only dream.
(Photography: Koichi Torimura)
Casa Corallo,Guatemala
Located in a wooded and mountainous terrain of Guatemala, Casa Corallo stands tall with its forest surroundings. The home, which is designed by PAZ Arquitectura, was built to introduce the language of the architecture into the forest, and the language of the forest into the architecture. Exposed concrete slabs were used in a layering effect as the house rises three floors; while glass, rustic wood, and textured stone make up everything in between.
The entrance of the house is on the third floor, where a wooden bridge snuggled in between two strong trees is the precursor to the oversized reclaimed wooden door. The interiors are everything you would imagine it to be by looking at the exteriors – dark wooden floors, glass shelving, raw concrete ceilings, mid-century furniture, and a custom built fireplace, central in the living room.
The architect noted that while building the house, they tried “to integrate the most of interior architecture with the advantages of the surrounding nature.” This idea became the roadmap for building the dwelling, instead of knocking down trees, the house is built around the trees. A massive trunk makes its way through the living room, while branches reach out into adjacent areas of the home. Glass was used all the way around the home to allow residents to expose themselves to nature, instead of the architecture shutting them off from nature. And lastly, a stunning long patio was built, to sit back, enjoy the sun rays that peak through the trees, and listen to the birds.
(Photography: PAZ Arquitectura)
Mountain & City Sales Office, China
Taking inspiration from the surrounding mountain range in Nanshan, the newly designed Chongqing Mountain & City Sales Office has come to life. The interior architecture of the office, designed by One Plus Partnership, has its valleys and its peaks. The space is fitted with an abstract version of a mountain, by connecting triangular grey marble faces to one another. The “mountain range” is central in the office, and custom built angular bronze desks are randomly scattered around architectural element. A field of tube lighting drapes down from the ceilings creating an aesthetic of a rain shower pounding down on the rocks.
(Photographs: Ajax Law Ling Kit and Virginia Lung)
Long Beach Hotel, Mauritius
As hotels on the Eastern Coast of Mauritius are building up, nothing quite fits the atmosphere, amenities, and aesthetics of the new Long Beach Hotel. The credit of the stunning look of the lodge goes to Keith Interior Design, a seasoned vet when it comes to hospitality design, with the help of their partners at M2K Architecture.
The hotel lobby is massive in size, with ceiling heights reaching nearly 27 feet high! Tall wooden blinds open up, which allows for an abundant amount of fresh air to roll through the arriving space. The entrance even has a honed wood bridge with a matching door that opens and doubles as an awning. Be sure to spread out with your luggage upon arrival in the elongated lobby and enjoy the six-foot custom metal and gem light fixtures that dangle from the ceiling.
The arrangement of the 255 room hotel is designed on a crescent, so each room has a full view of the ocean! The chic contemporary designs of the rooms blend together open-air and indoor living as woods, whites, corals, and green tones are used to create a refreshing, easy-on-the-eye suite; a place easy to relax.
Each public space has its own styling and mood; the different languages were created by using different pieces of furniture. The teen center is modern and chic with bubble chairs, and minimalistic design elements. Dining in the family restaurant is like snacking on a rustic beach, while the fine-dining restaurant goes for a warm contemporary feel.
Although each public space is designed to give a unique experience, the architect noted that they “kept a strong link between the different areas by using dominant neutral tones, natural stones, raw timber and crisply finished aluminum.”
The design of the Long Beach Hotel is what makes it a successful luxury resort-meets-family vacations type property, but it’s the inviting architecture and refreshing vibe of the lobby that ‘had us at hello.’ Oh – and let’s not forget to mention the infinity pool over looking the white sanded beach, but I don’t think we need to explain the awesome factor in that!
(Photographs: Sun Resort Hotels)
Rasapura Masters, Singapore
We’ve all seen Singapore’s gorgeous Marina Bay Sands, known for their massive rooftop infinity pool, well, the stylish new establishment has just been outfitted with Rasapura Masters food court, designed by FARM Studio. The food court falls under the umbrella of Koufu’s chain of eateries titled Masters, and FARM says they “were tasked to create an Asian dining space befitting these masters.”
The contemporary styled food court has a warm ambiance, with deep undertones of gray and brown, mixed with colors you’d find on a squash, olive, and watermelon. Table tops vary from dark wood, to high gloss white, and are heavily scattered throughout the space for those peak hours during meal time when the restaurant sees high amounts of traffic.
FARM designed the space as an open layout which is divided into “islands,” counters where each of the master chefs are at work creating mouth watering dishes. The wavy ceiling is a design element which helps define these “islands” with a series of yellowish-green panels that undulate above the individual counters.
Elsewhere, the design details and other features reflect the atmosphere of eating street food and Asian cuisine. Different types of traditional floor tiles, ironmongery details, furniture and traditional glass pendant lamps are used and mixed throughout the space in a non-traditional sense to create unique pockets of eating corners and spaces. The resultant of these is a tactile and ever-changing spatial experience!
(Photography: FARM)
Wuhan Pixel Box Cinema, China
The concept of the new Wuhan Cinema, designed by Hong Kong based firm One Plus Partnership Limited, is founded on the idea of pixels and movement, a concept which sparked a variation of block-like designs for each different space in the theater. The designers went all out when creating the grand hall of the theater. 6,000 connecting Stainless steel panels graciously curve and hug the space creating a spectacular dark silver entrance. The metal panels are broken into various sizes, and have a mirror like quality, which is the cause to a magical play on movement as the reflections of the visitors drift past the panels.
Beyond the grand hall, Square blocks become seats and tables in the concession area, while the table tops the designer retro-fitted LCD screens under glass so theater goers can watch the latest trailers and film trivia. Hallway walls are outfitted with undulating rectangular forms which shoot out from the wall, plush theater carpeting is covered with a custom pixeled pattern, and the restrooms are fit into individually lit cubes which glow green, like Kryptonite. Talk about a having whole new cinematic experience!
Nike+ Fuelstation, London
Nike is a company that’s always trying to stay ahead of the curve, the Oregon based sportswear gurus have set up the first Nike+ Fuelstation in East London’s Boxpark. The store is Nike’s vision of what the future of retail design will look like. The internal creatives at Nike in The Netherlands dreamed up the concept store which is attempting to offer an innovative balance of interactive digital elements along with human interaction.
Nike created Nike+ to be a global hub for athletes to come together and digitally measure their athletic success, be motivated by fellow athletes, and stay updated on the latest and greatest in athletic technology. Nike+ gives users all the tools they need to go out there, and make the most of their activities! These tools are the very essence that the Nike+ Fuelstation is built on.
The design of the smart store combines a clever mix of familiar materials such as wood and metal, with more unexpected elements like wall to ceiling to floor motion sensing LED screens. As visitors walk past the screens, the colors of the graphics change from red to green. A cool substitution for traditional mannequins, are the “motion-sensitive smart mirrors that reveal film footage of local runners wearing products from the store.” But Nike doesn’t stop there, visitors can even create life sized digital imagery of themselves which can easily be shared with the world by social media outlets with a quick press of button!
(Photography: Nike)
Loosdrecht Island House, Netherlands
(Photography: 2by4 Architects)
Trunk House, Australia
The Trunk House is what Tom Hanks would’ve fabricated in Cast Away had he not been so involved with that dang volleyball (and, ya know, if he has a skill saw and some milling machinery lying around). This small cabin designed by Paul Morgan Architects in the Victoria’s Central Highlands of Australia is a shipwrecked traveler’s paradise, nestled in a forest of Stringybark. Most notable are the ‘V’ shaped support beams that zig-zag around the exterior, harnessing the natural load-bearing capacity of timber found locally by utilizing bifurcations in tree forks. Turns out that the joints that are discarded in commercial logging have a great inherent strength, not to mention the Stringybark was milled, cured on site, and then fixed internally, resulting in a minimal carbon footprint. Trunk House:1 Loggers: Zilch.
(Photography: © Peter Bennetts)
KPMG’s New Headquarters, Denmark
KPMG’s new headquarters by 3XN Architects represents that last piece that completes the renovated area of the “Revygrunden,” an up and coming neighborhood in Denmark. The cool new workplace enters into a strong unity with the surroundings in all directions: The west-facing cultural plaza with the culture house; the southern plaza, Margurity Vibys Plads, with the cafés and eateries etc.; the green belt facing east; and the metro in the northern direction. The main shape of the domicile is also created with these surroundings in mind.
Also facing Dirch Passers Boulevard, the new domicile forms a link to three cityscapes at the same time – the Boulevard and the two plazas – and interconnects them to the green belt facing east. The ground floor shops and other businesses facing the Boulevard creates an actual shopping flow along the façade. Altogether, KPMG’s domicile contributes to a concentration of the neighborhood and to making the area much more lively and friendly.
The entire building is situated on an elevated base. The flower-shape of the building solves the well-know problem associated with huge office buildings: they can often seem rather confusing, difficult to navigate in and thus easy to get lost in.
Here, the flower-shape divides the building into smaller sections and in the core of the flower the individual loops are interconnected creating a natural center. Compared to a regular massive and dominating box-shaped building volume, the flower-shape makes for an interesting change and brings a lighter and airier sense of space to the neighborhood.
The building is constructed with a deep focus on sustainability at all levels from design to construction, choice of materials and lifespan. Thus for one, the level of energy consumption is reduced to a mere minimum close to zero by controlling the inflow of light, by heat regulation through the use of an active façade with solar screening, by angling the building according to daylight and by a strategic orientation of the interior office space also accordingly.
3xn Architects have an impressive portfolio of awesome workplaces they have created. The KPMG is another creative space that actually makes us want to go to work!
(Photographs: 3xn)
Light Stage House, Japan
The residential architectural style in Japan somehow manages to have a soothing effect. No matter how vibrant and loud their fashion trends might be, at home, they simply practice serenity. Future Studio recently completed a private dwelling, which is a fantastic example of this. The Light Stage House is a two story structure situated in Hiroshima, Japan. The elegantly curved walls, perfectly compact kitchen, and furniture built into the atchitecture, are design features that make this space work in harmony. The orientation of the site made it difficult to receive southern light into the home. Because of this, the architects at Future Studio designated the top floor to be the public areas of the home, where the family most frequented, then created an upper area which acts as an outdoor terrace. From the terrace, natural light beams in through the glass window.
The grey exterior of the oblong home is outfitted with an array of scattered grey windows, making the structure a unique addition to the ‘hood’.
(Photography: Future Studio)
The Rapperswil-Jona Municipal Museum, Zurich
What looks like an angular stack of gilded domino’s is actually the bronze façade of the Rapperswil-Jona Municipal Museum designed by the architects at :mlzd. The structure sits on the banks of Lake Zurich and boasts a history of over 700 years. The small, fortified complex was built in the late 13th century and a number of the extravagant interiors have survived today. Most recently, it underwent extensive restructuring in 2011, but will open it’s doors to the public next month. Wedged precariously between the old, fortified stone tower and a newer structure sits the new, main entrance, clearly juxtaposing and offsetting the old, “heightening awareness for the threshold to the latter.” The newly constructed rooms are an extension of the museum’s spectrum in terms of space, operations and possibilities available to the curator. “The shape of the new building has been developed out of the lateral façades of the old buildings. Its façade and roof have been designed in such a way that the existing windows and doors of the old buildings are not intersected anywhere.” The Rapperswil-Jona Museum is a journey in discovery, the structure is a legacy itself and stepping foot inside is a trip into the past.
(Photgraphy: :mlzd)
Vanke Triple V Gallery, China
Singapore based architecture firm Ministry of Design has just put the final touches on an angular 750 square meter art gallery in Dong Jiang Bay. The gallery, Vanke Triple V, is the brainchild of the executives at the heavyweight Chinese developing company Vanke. Vanke has been quite familiar with the talented team at Ministry of Design because they have worked together on many projects before, such as Vanke’s Shenyang Gallery, and their Quayside Tuan Jin.
Here they called on MOD again, “the sites adjacency to the beachfront was a primary point of inspiration,” the architects explained. Therefore, the orientation of the structure became extremely important, “we wanted to orient our building to address this beachfront as well as to select a palette of materials that echoed the spirit of the surroundings.”
The orrientation of the pitched roof thrusts towards the beach front and the team chose a warm material pallet of corten steel for the exterior and timber on the interiors.
Lighting was a massive inclusion in the program, the architects wanted the design of the building glow in all the right places.Strips of light were added to the underside of the pitched roof, the sidewalk is lit to glow, and LED strip lights were designed into the interior stairs and into the ceiling edges giving a dynamic effect to the architecture. Unique modern furniture pieces cascade through the gallery, where visitors can find a quiet spot to sit and view the art, or the ocean.
(Photographs: Ministry Of Design)
A Little Light Magic, Singapore
The Armenian Church | Lim Woan Wen
The Peranakan Museum | Michael Lee
Singapore Art Museum | :Phunk
School of The Arts | Grace Tan of Kwodrent
National Museum Of Singapore | whenligtswork+Luke Smith-Wightman
The Brücke 49 Hotel, Switzerland
“Shit, what an old ugly house filled with stinking leftovers” was the response from Thomas Schacht, Co-owner of Vals newest boutique B&B The Brücke 49, when we asked him what his thoughts were when he first set his eyes on the hotel building. To be honest, when he showed us the “before” images of the ramshackle old structure we couldn’t help but agree. It only took Schacht and his wife Ruth six months to scrap nearly 3,000 cubic feet of “rubbish,” strip it down to its original form, and re-design the space. Thomas admitted that it was Ruth who kept spirits high with her positive attitude during the massive redevelopment project of the charming B&B.
The Brücke 49 just opened its doors last month and has a fantastic group of people backing the B&B. Iain Ainsworth, founder of the White Line Hotel Group, is one of their fans, and he and his team represent the Brücke 49. Ainsworth discovered the gem that is Brücke 49 while his colleagues were in the area spelunking for cool hotels. He noted, “There are some fabulous examples of Swiss design in Vals.” And quicker than you could make a cup of instant Swiss Miss, a local directed them to the newest B&B in town where they ended up at wooden door of the Brücke 49.
We have to admit, the Schacht’s story makes us just a tad jealous. The pair ditched their full time jobs working for huge corporations and moved to Vals, a quaint, utopian ski town in Switzerland, to run a cozy bed and breakfast. Thomas explained that in Vals, “Everything is working perfectly, combined with nature and everything else Switzerland has to offer. Here everything, even though the village has no more than 1000 inhabitants. From kindergarten, schools, pubic transport, the community. You have the best water coming out of the mountain for free. You have waterpower so energy doesn’t cost much. You have ‘World Heritage’ nature all around you. You have world-class design (the Therme by Peter Zumthor). You have honest, hardworking people you can trust and whom we couldn’t have re-made the house in six months without”
Once the house was stripped bare, the two began to formulate their design. They created a storyboard and a room plan, with a description of each, and a precise collage of how they envisioned the final look and feel of the hotel. This became their road map through the design process. “Ruth and I discussed every little detail and researched it on exhibitions, factory visits and trips to Milan, London, and Copenhagen,” Thomas explained. They wanted the Brücke 49 to feel like a home away from home. The pair have always been fascinated with the simple things in life and wanted that to be manifested within the space.
Both the interior and exterior needed quite a makeover. The outside of the home was revamped from a cream color to a deep grey blue color with white shutters. The door was refurbished, sconces were added, and white Brücke 49 graphics were painted onto the facade.
The interiors began to fill with solid wood flooring, white paneled walls, handmade furniture, potted plants, and unique artwork scattered throughout the hotel.
Each piece of furniture is handmade (yes, you read that right), and nothing you will find at the Brücke 49 is mass produced. Every item in view echoes with a lasting quality and are all made from solid materials. Even the porcelain on the shelves is hand-painted. Thomas and Ruth wanted furniture that would last for years without “looking sad or getting sick of them.”
The two are constantly searching for new pieces as they have a habit of selling the hotel furniture to inquiring guests. It makes he B&B a bit of a novelty, constantly evolving at the whim of both it’s curators and guests. “That means Brücke 49 is also a showroom. We give advice. We help people if they want to buy a piece of furniture or whatever we have in the house. In principle everything can be bought.” Thomas explained.
For the time being we can all live vicariously through Ruth and Thomas, but there’s always the option to join them! If you plan to venture to Vals make sure you visit our friends at the Brücke 49. And don’t forget to bring us back a cool furniture piece! (Obvs)
(Photography: Brucke 49)
Jung Von Matt Headquarters, Germany
The advertising creatives at Jung Von Matt call Hamburg their home, as they have held their headquarters in a historic 19th century factory building for quite some time now. Only recently, did the marketing gurus call upon the architects at Stephan Williams Associates to extend their workspace with the occupation of two new floors.
These two new floors have quickly been dubbed the “elephant house”, because they are the new home to Jung Von Matt’s heavyweight executive team. The architects at Stephan Williams wanted to create a space with dominant design features to suite the agency’s occupants. Strong and dark materials like wood and hunter green walls were implemented into the space which includes open offices, private offices, small conversational areas, and one gigantic conference table which has a seat for each director.
Jung Von Matt’s logo is a angular version of a Trojan horse. This logo is proudly represented throughout the office and wildly introduced in the cafe seating area on the fourth floor. Stephan Williams designed the seating units to resemble the logo, “It is an entirely wood-clad, comfortable space for informal conversations over a tea or coffee, which so often create the spark for big idea”, the architects explained. Stephan Williams wanted to create a “timeless design that reflects the agency’s character and idiosyncrasies in every detail.” Which was accomplished in more than one way!
