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Florence Knoll Bassett “led an office revolution”
As part of our mid-century modern series, we portray Florence Knoll Bassett, who transformed how we think of office design with her streamlined furniture and leadership of design brand Knoll.
Under Knoll, Florence Knoll, as she was then called, brought modern lines and a human-centric design ethos to the American office environment. As well as leading the company’s interior design arm, the Planning Unit, she designed furniture for its collections and developed its aesthetic identity.
She was also known for professionalising the mid-century interior design industry, combining her extensive architectural training with an eye for form and combatting the notion that interior design was the same as decorating.
Florence Knoll (left) worked with designers and architects including Eero Saarinen. Photo courtesy of KnollIn a 1964 New York Times article about her, titled “Woman Who Led an Office Revolution Rules an Empire of Modern Design; Florence Knoll Gave Business ‘Living’ a New Look”, she said that offices had changed from being ‘decorated’ to being designed.
“I am not a decorator,” she said in the article. “The only place I decorate is my own house.”Knoll was founded by Florence Knoll’s husband Hans Knoll, who was in the process of developing the company in New York City when the pair met in 1941.
In 1943, Florence Knoll joined the burgeoning company as a designer and soon after became a full business partner upon the couple’s marriage in 1944.Office design pioneer Florence Knoll Bassett dies aged 101
Today, Knoll is known for its portfolio of office furniture, including notable designs such as the Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Rohe, the Wassily Lounge Chair by Marcel Breuer, and the Womb Chair by Eero Saarinen – three pieces Florence Knoll commissioned herself through her many long-standing connections in the architecture world.
She also created seating, tables, and storage systems for office interiors that were meant as “fill-in” pieces – uncomplicated designs that complemented the more flashy products by her peers.
“People ask me if I am a furniture designer,” she said. “I am not. I never really sat down and designed furniture. I designed the fill-in pieces that no one else was doing. I designed sofas because no one was designing sofas.”
Among her best-known pieces are the T Angle series of tables, which were constructed from a steel base and have laminate tops. These include a dining table, coffee tables and numerous other versions.
Her Executive Desk, part of her Executive series and also known as the Partner’s Desk, with its rosewood top and splayed chrome-plated steel base, still looks modern today and is still produced by Knoll.
Planning Unit specialised in corporate office interiors
Her Lounge Collection, created in 1954, also epitomizes her approach. It encompassed a tufted lounge chair, sofa, settee, and bench that sat upon geometric, metal frames.
Today, these pieces are treasured additions to household or corporate spaces, but Florence Knoll originally created them as a backdrop for the office interiors she designed while she led the Knoll Planning Unit.
Founded by Florence Knoll in 1946, the Planning Unit consisted of a small group of Knoll designers that created corporate office interiors for prominent companies such as the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cowles Publications and CBS.
Led by Florence Knoll’s exacting eye, the small team was tasked with designing furniture, textiles and objects for a space.
Florence Knoll designed the interiors for the CBS building in New YorkIn the 1960s, Florence Knoll designed the interiors of a new CBS headquarters in New York City, housed in a black-clad skyscraper by friend Eero Saarinen.
“Her job embraces everything from the choice of wall coverings – sometimes felt or tweed for the sake of acoustics – to ashtrays, pictures and door handles,” the New York Times said of her involvement in the project.
“She has led people to see that texture in fabrics can be as interesting as a print (she dislikes prints) and that steel legs on tables, chairs and sofas can have grace and elegance.”
Bespoke pieces usually custom-made for interior projects
The bespoke furniture that Florence Knoll designed for projects such as the CBS headquarters would then be folded into the Knoll catalogue.
“The spaces suggest the furniture, and sometimes that furniture was not in our catalog,” Vincent Cafiero, an early member of the Planning Unit, said.
During this period, Florence Knoll also started a textile program at the company, which would become Knoll Textiles. This saw her develop a “tagged sample and display system”, a technique used industry-wide today.
As Knoll grew, Florence Knoll would also shape much of the company’s identity and practices.
She worked with designer Herbert Matter to create branding for Knoll, including its advertisements, stationary and logo, imbuing its branding with the same straightforward style as her personal work.
Florence Knoll also filled the company’s catalogue with commissions from her many connections, gathered during her architectural training at schools including he Cranbrook Academy of Art, Columbia University, Architectural Association and Illinois Institute of Technology.
Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair is among the pieces commissioned by Florence Knoll. Photo by Adrià GoulaBorn and raised in Michigan, her training began in earnest at age 12, when Florence was orphaned after the death of her father at age 5 and mother at 12.
Her guardian encouraged her to choose a boarding school, where the young Florence chose the Kingswood School for Girls, a school on the same grounds as Cranbrook Academy of Art.
Eilel Saarinen, Cranbrook’s then headmaster and designer of both schools, noticed Florence’s interest in architecture and eventually “virtually adopted” Florence into the Saarinen family, according to Knoll.
Mies van der Rohe was “teacher and friend”
She would go on to befriend his son, Eero, and other prominent designers during her studies and beyond including Charles Eames, Harry Bertoia, Isamu Noguchi and George Nakashima.
Florence was also mentored by architects Alvar Aalto, Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer.
Designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who she studied under at the Illinois Institute of Technology, had perhaps the most lasting influence on her style, as seen in her methodical, detail-oriented approach.
“Like her teacher and friend Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Ms Knoll Bassett’s attention to detail was all-encompassing, relentless, and, over time, the stuff of legend,” said Knoll.The organic designs of Eero Saarinen went “beyond the measly ABC” of modernism
Her colleagues held her “unerring” taste in high regard.
“Each time I go East I see something you have done,” wrote Charles Eames in a 1957 letter to Florence Knoll. “It is always good, and I feel grateful to you for doing such work in a world where mediocrity is the norm.”
Upon Hans Knoll’s sudden death in 1955, Florence Knoll took over leadership of the company as president until 1960, when she switched back into a design and development role and moved to Florida with her second husband Henry Hood Bassett.
She officially retired from the company in 1965 at age 48.
Under her five years as president Knoll doubled in size, cementing its status as a leader in the design industry.
“[Florence Knoll] probably did more than any other single figure to create the modern, sleek, postwar American office, introducing contemporary furniture and a sense of open planning into the work environment,” wrote The Times architecture critic Paul Goldberger in 1984.
In 1961, Florence Knoll became the first woman to receive the Gold Medal for Industrial Design from the American Institute of Architects, and in 2003 she was presented with the National Medal of Arts.
“We have lost one of the great design forces of the 20th century,” Goldberger said when Florence Knoll died in 2019. “Florence Knoll Bassett may have done more than anyone else to create what we think of as the ‘Mad Men’ design of the midcentury modern workspace.”
Illustration by Jack BedfordMid-century modern
This article is part of Dezeen’s mid-century modern design series, which looks at the enduring presence of mid-century modern design, profiles its most iconic architects and designers, and explores how the style is developing in the 21st century.
This series was created in partnership with Made – a UK furniture retailer that aims to bring aspirational design at affordable prices, with a goal to make every home as original as the people inside it. Elevate the everyday with collections that are made to last, available to shop now at made.com.Read more: More
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Emil Eve Architects uses mid-century colours in homey office for Drama Republic
Distinct shades of green, orange and blue give character to this workplace, designed by Emil Eve Architects for the production company behind TV shows including the BBC’s Doctor Foster and Netflix’s One Day.
Drama Republic gave Emil Eve the task of refurbishing its office in London’s Holborn.
The redesign gives the company a more homey workspace, combining a mid-century-inspired colour palette with textural materials including oak and fluted glass.
The colour palette includes mid-century-inspired shades of blue, green and orange”This is a working office, but also needs to be pleasant for clients to visit,” said Emma Perkin, Emil Eve co-founder.
“We had to create a design that was practical but also welcoming and comfy,” she told Dezeen.“Often workplaces have a very limited palette; we consciously introduced a mid-century mix of greens, blues and oranges against warm white walls and natural wood. The slightly muted shades mean it’s bright but still calm.”
Existing glass partitions were moved in line with the new floor planDrama Republic’s brief called for a mix of flexible work areas, including large desks for collaborative working, meeting rooms that support video conferencing, and lounge areas where staff can take calls or read through scripts.
Emil Eve replanned the office layout to improve the flow between these different spaces.
A new lobby features partitions crafted from hardwood and fluted glassThe architects were keen to reuse existing materials and furniture where possible, so glass partitions that surrounded the previous meeting rooms were simply moved in line with the new floor plan.
A lobby was created, with new partitions designed to match the proportions of the existing ones. These were crafted from Sapele, an African hardwood with a warm reddish-brown tone.
The custom-made desks integrate pinboard screensStorage was also installed, in custom-made wall units that provide bookshelves and hidden cupboards.
“The office has really good natural light but had never been properly organised, so it felt cramped and ad-hoc,” said Perkin.Archmongers uses eco-friendly materials in colourful Bakken & Bæck office
“Drama Republic didn’t want it to feel corporate, so we used our experience from residential projects to design well-considered joinery which maximised storage,” she explained.
“There were lots of cables and lights, plus big office equipment like printers; we had to find a way to tidy things away but still have them accessible.”
Meeting rooms are designed to support video conferencingCustom-made work surfaces include desks with bespoke pinboard screens, as well as meeting and coffee tables.
All the chairs from before were reused, with the exception of the lobby sofa and the meeting room armchairs.
Wall units provide both open shelves and concealed storageThe flooring is oak in a herringbone pattern, while lighting is provided by coloured glass ceiling lights and curvy pendants.
“These are unusual specifications for an office but they work just as well and feel automatically more homey,” added Perkin.
Poster and photos from Drama Republic productions decorate the wallsThe space is completed by framed photos and posters from Drama Republic productions, including Black Earth Rising, The Honourable Woman, Wanderlust and The Irregulars.
Perkin and her partner and Emil Eve co-founder, Ross Perkin, established their studio in 2009. Their own office is a retrofit of a brutalist building in Hackney. Last year, one of its projects won London’s Don’t Move, Improve! competition.
The photography is by Rachael Smith.
Project credits
Architect: Emil Eve ArchitectsContractor: Harbour Joinery WorkshopJoinery: Harbour Joinery Workshop, Thomas Collier StudioPaint: Edward Bulmer, Paint and Paper LibraryTiles: Mosaic FactorySofa and armchairs: LoafRead more: More
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FMA creates flexible offices within former Mexican convent
A meditation room and an outdoor work area are available to employees at this office in Mexico, which was remodelled by architecture firm FMA within a 17th-century convent.
The GO Headquarters is located in the historic centre of Morelia, a city in the state of Michoacán, and is arranged around a cloister at the heart of the building.
The GO Headquarters takes advantage of a cloister space that is used as an outdoor work and dining areaThis central courtyard offers employees a space to work or relax outside, while surrounded by five planters with orange trees set against the old stonework.
“The primary challenge of the project was to honor the original architectural elements of the building while maximizing available space,” said FMA founder Francisco Méndez.
A coffee bar wrapped in clay tiles anchors a space for employees to relax”Moreover, careful recognition of the alterations that the convent had undergone over time was needed, distinguishing between those that were appropriate and those that were not,” he added.All of the interior office space is on the level above, accessed from the main entrance via the courtyard and a stairwell.
Larger rooms feature long conference tables for desk-style workingOn this upper floor, interconnected rooms open onto the colonnaded central space overlooking the verdant enclosed garden below.
“Moving upstairs, the work areas were conceived as living spaces with a disruptive approach,” said Méndez. “While the architectural program remains straightforward, the diversity and multifunctionality of each area are striking.”
A variety of clay elements made by local artisans are incorporated throughout the officesLarger rooms accommodate long oak tables that offer more traditional desk-style workspace and meeting areas.
Meanwhile, a library with lounge furniture and a large shelving system the covers a full wall acts as both a reception and a casual work area.
A library has a full wall of display shelving and casual furnitureAnother room features a horseshoe-shaped coffee bar fronted with clay tiles and a wooden ping-pong table, where team members can gather and socialise.
There’s also a dedicated meditation room, nicknamed “the nest”, which acoustically optimised with oak panelling and a padded floor for comfort.RootStudio transforms former Oaxaca convent into culinary centre
“This tranquil space is dedicated to introspection, providing a sanctuary for individuals to rejuvenate their minds and break away from routine, thus emphasising the significance of mental and physical well-being, ultimately enhancing the quality of life and productivity of workers,” Méndez said.
Throughout the building, lighting was upgraded to an intelligent system that adjusts according to the circadian cycle and saves energy.
Sand-coloured plaster walls and white oak stave flooring complement the historic buildingMaterials including sand-hued plaster walls, white oak stave flooring, and furniture in warm, earthy tones complements the existing building’s palette.
Clay lamps, planters and decorative objects crafted by artisans from Michoacán are also incorporated.
“An emphasis was placed on natural and regional finishes to sustain a sense of warmth and harmony within the project, as well as to support local artisans and commerce,” said the architect.
Employees have access to a meditation room lined with white oak panelsCompanies and organisations across Mexico are finding a variety of new uses for abandoned or unused convent buildings.
In Oaxaca, RootStudio converted a historic building into a centre for celebrating the rich culinary legacy of the region – earning the project a spot of the Heritage Project shortlist for the 2023 Dezeen Awards.
The photography is by César Belio.Read more: More
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Iosa Ghini Associati clads Fiandre office in “decorative skin” of ceramic surfaces
Promotion: architecture practice Iosa Ghini Associati has renovated the 1980s headquarters of Italian surfacing manufacturer Fiandre in Castellarano, using ceramic to cover almost the entire interior from the walls and floors to the custom furnishings.
Set across three floors and 2,400 square metres, the office was originally designed by architect Quintilio Prodi in 1989 and is described by Fiandre as “vaguely post-modern”.
Iosa Ghini Associati has renovated the Fiandre officeIosa Ghini Associati has revamped and reorganised the interiors by designer Carlo Cattani to prioritise the wellbeing of employees and encourage their return to the office post-pandemic.
With this aim, the architectural studio, with offices in Milan and Bologna, introduced novelties including a hangout area in the basement complete with a football table, a “take one, leave one” bookshelf and rocking chairs overlooking the garden.
The basement houses hangout areas including a football table, and a space with music and books to be sharedOffice space and meeting rooms are spread across all three floors of the building, separated by glass partitions that allow daylight to filter into the core of the building while still providing acoustic privacy.Different areas are also distinguished by their use of different Fiandre ceramics, which architect Massimo Iosa Ghini used across almost all available surfaces.
Ceramic surfaces define different areas”Ceramic surfaces were applied like a changing, decorative skin to floors and walls, at times adorned with precious triangular and herringbone cuts to embellish the spaces without ever overdoing it,” Fiandre said.
Fiandre’s ceramic surfacing was used to cover floors across all three storeys, as well as various walls, washbasins and custom desks, meeting tables, bar counters and coffee tables designed bespoke for the office.
The ceramics can resemble marbleTo improve indoor air quality and hygiene, Fiandre chose Active Surfaces – ceramic slabs developed by Fiandre’s parent organisation Iris Ceramica Group. The photocatalytic properties of these “eco-active ceramic surfaces use light energy to trigger chemical reactions that eliminate bacteria, viruses and pollutants, converting them into harmless substances”, the company said.
In total, the building uses 5,058 square metres of ceramic slabs, which together with the LED lights help to purify over 10,000 cubic metres of air from odours and volatile organic compounds per day, according to calculations from researchers at the University of Milan.
In the lobby, the floor is finished in a herringbone pattern formed from alternating matte and glossy slabs of the marbled Premium White Maximum porcelain.
The reception desk is flanked by two waiting areas, underscored in Pietra Grey Maxium and enveloped by two curving walls clad in fluted ceramic slabs made using the 4D Ceramics technology pioneered by Fiandre’s parent company Iris Ceramica Group and distributed by Sapiestone brand.
Pietra Grey also features in the basement, combined with terrazzo-like Seminato Beige.
Meeting rooms feature touch panels integrated directly into the stone tabletopsThe executive offices on the first floor feature walls adorned in striking blue Amazonite Maximum, while the 70-square-metre CEO office is equipped with a mini-bar and a private bathroom that features Fiandre’s highly polished Glint finish, which reflects light around the room.
The first floor also features a huge 18-by-3-metre mural by digital artist Becha, printed on ceramic slabs using the company’s Design Your Slabs (DYS) technology and reused from Iris Ceramica Group’s exhibition space at international ceramics fair Cersaie in Bologna in 2023.
Ridged table bases are created using 4D Ceramic technologyMeeting rooms scattered around the rest of the building can accommodate between eight and 20 people and feature tables with ridged and fluted bases made using the 4D Ceramic technology.
The lighting and polarised windows in the meeting rooms can be controlled with touch ceramic surfaces integrated directly into the stone surface, eliminating the need for unsightly external cover plates and switches.
Marsala Red decorates the meeting roomsAnd walls are decorated in Marsala Red with a tessellated pattern cut into the surface to provide subtle decoration.
“The colour of the furnishings and finishes adds personality, making the spaces feel more creative and more like home, while adding a sense of timeless elegance,” the architect specifies,” Iosa Ghini said.
Fiandre is part of Iris Ceramica Group. For more information on Fiandre, visit the company’s website.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for Fiandre as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.Read more: More
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Snarkitecture overhauls New York law offices using “elevated” stud walls
Architecture studio Snarkitecture has updated the New York offices of legal firm Jayaram Law, adding elements with wavy cutouts and furniture from a new collection with Made By Choice.
The overhaul of Jayaram’s 3,800-square-foot (353-square-metre) space in Manhattan’s Flatiron District forms part of the company’s artist residency program and continues a longstanding relationship with Snarkitecture.
A continuous, wavy wooden edge forms a portal into the Record Room at Jayaram Law’s officesThe studio, founded by artist Daniel Arsham and architect Alex Mustonen, reimagined the offices as a collaborative space for creative work and made multiple interventions to the layout.
“Our approach was to unify the space and create a layout emphasising openness, flexibility, and scattered moments of reflection and privacy,” said the team.
Snarkitecture reinterpreted “the ubiquitous stud wall as an elevated millwork piece” to create the freestanding structureA key decision involved bringing warmth to the industrial-style space, which features exposed ceilings and concrete tile flooring.This was achieved by introducing wood, acoustic panels, rugs, curtains, and upholstered pieces “that added more comfort and softness to the space”.
A window provides a view from the workspace into the Record Room, which displays various Snarkitecture ephemeraAt one end of the floor plan, Snarkitecture built a room using a simple wooden framework to create a library and display area.
“One of our key design moves is reinterpreting the ubiquitous stud wall as an elevated millwork piece,” the team said.
In the centre of the offices is a lounge area known as The CommonsThe semi-enclosed space, named the Record Room, has a window that looks onto the open-plan workspace and is accessed via a portal with a continuous wavy outline.
“We wanted this room to feel unexpected and immersive, thus creating a theme around a ‘Listening Lounge’, featuring an environment with wood shelvings, a record player, and vinyl records,” Snarkitecture said. “Its shelves also host archival items, publications, design objects, and ephemera from Snarkitecture and Jayaram.”
The open workspace is furnished with long desks that together create room for 24 to 32 peopleOther stud-wall elements with amorphous cutouts form moveable display cases and room dividers, used particularly to define a central lounge known as The Commons.
Wavy edges are also found on the Autex acoustic panels hung vertically in rows from the white-painted ceiling above the seating area.
A conference room was created by merging three smaller private offices”It is a comfortable spot with low lounge seating, lush greenery, and an area rug that creates a space for collective gatherings and intimate conversations,” said Snarkitecture.
On either side, communal workspaces with 15-foot (4.6-metre) custom birch plywood tables accommodate 24 to 32 people.
Acoustic panels were added above the lounge area to dampen the sound in the industrial-style spaceAlong the perimeter is a glass-fronted conference room that was created by combining three private offices into one space.
Built-in millwork provides a TV niche for conferencing and stores general office supplies, while a curtain wraps the space to dampen echoes.Snarkitecture uses recycled materials for Pharrell Williams’ streetwear brand store in Miami
Throughout the Jayaram offices, Snarkitecture included furniture from its new collection in collaboration with Finnish brand Made By Choice.
Pieces including dining chairs, lounge chairs, small round tables and a large conference table all feature the studio’s signature wavy edges and cutouts.
Several furniture pieces from Snarkitecture’s collection with Made By Choice can be found throughout the officeSeveral works from Snarkitecture’s Broken & Sculpted Series created with the Italian brand Gufram are also dotted around the office.
The pink, broken mirrors introduce hints of colour, while the studio’s Slip chairs with wonky legs and a slanted seat for Portuguese brand UVA add even more whimsy.
Pink mirrors from a collaboration with Gufram introduce hints of colourSince starting Snarkitecture in 2008, Arsham and Mustonen have worked with brands including Kith, Billionaire Boys Club, COS and Caesarstone on retail interiors and immersive installations.
In New York City, the studio has previously filled a gallery with lights that resemble “large lollipops” and created an exhibition space at Hudson Yards to allow the public to explore its experiments.
The photography is by Harlan Erskine.Read more: More
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HawkinsBrown converts former Vitra showroom into own street-front office
Architecture studio HawkinsBrown has taken over a former furniture showroom, giving its staff a workspace with a shop window, a social kitchen and a Richard Woods-designed cabin.
The former Vitra showroom on Clerkenwell Road is now a three-level office for 250 of HawkinsBrown’s 350 staff. The new street-front address was designed to give the architects a workspace that facilitates more diverse ways of working and offers greater opportunities for social activities and events.
The street-front office is located on Clerkenwell Road in London”Our vast shopfront means we are on display, presenting us with a new and exciting opportunity to show the world who we are and what we do,” said HawkinsBrown managing partner Hazel York.
“It’s a place to connect with our clients, collaborators and the wider Clerkenwell community through a programme of talks and events, temporary exhibitions and art installations.”
The ground floor can be used for different activities and eventsCentral to this approach was turning the ground-floor space into a flexible “canteen” featuring a stainless-steel counter where staff meet for coffee and cafe-style furniture that can be easily moved around.“Our ground floor canteen is our working experiment, our laboratory,” said HawkinsBrown’s creative director David Bickle.
A stainless-steel counter is the place where staff meet for coffee”It’s a place where we can host talks and seminars, workshops, supper clubs and sunset yoga, and invite takeovers by like-minded organisations,” he told Dezeen.
“We’ve purposely kept it unprogrammed, loose fit and unfinished, preferring to ‘show not tell’ what we do to the world outside.”HawkinsBrown and RPP Architects create “beacon for university life” in Belfast
A shed covered in the colourful cartoon-style prints of artist Richard Woods can be found on this floor, surrounded by plants.
Known as Hut, it offers staff a place to find isolation.
The Richard Woods-designed Hut sits among plantsThe idea was to create the feel of a building within a building, an approach that HawkinsBrown previously explored on projects including the Gantry at Here East and the Here + Now offices.
“We recognised that many of us worked from sheds, home offices, lofts and kitchen tables during the Covid lockdown and that this form of isolation was important for certain concentrated creative tasks,” stated Bickle.
This colourful cabin offers staff a place to find isolation”We talked through our ideas with Richard; he was immediately taken with our thinking and open to creating something new,” Bickle said.
“The closed form of Hut creates a talking point. Paradoxically we placed the most private space in the most public location but, through its design, we created a sanctuary from the rest of the studio and the world outside.”
The newly painted red staircase encourages staff to stop and chatMore art can be found on the glazed facade in the form of graphics designed by architect June Tong, the winning entry in an in-house competition.
Power-assisted acoustic curtains allow the space to be subdivided if necessary, while a newly painted red staircase encourages staff to stop and chat while moving between floors.
The design includes both formal meeting rooms and collaborative spacesMeeting rooms can be found on all three levels. These include a pair of adjoining basement rooms affectionately known as Ray and Charles, which can be combined into one larger room called Eames.
These were named in tribute to former occupant Vitra, which produces furniture by the famed American architects.
A modelmaking workshop is located in the basementA modelmaking workshop is located in the basement but visible from above, while pin-up boards were integrated into sliding doors as well as mobile partitions.
York said the new office has shaped a more collaborative culture among staff. Amid the wider shift to hybrid working, she believes it has strengthened the firm’s sense of community and collective identity.
“We knew having a shop window on a bustling street would be great but it has surpassed our expectations,” she said.
The windows feature graphics designed by in-house architect June Tong”Watching the world go by is a constant reminder of how our work shapes and is shaped by the city and communities we serve.”
“Equally, we are very open about the work we do; everyone can see in. We draw on the windows, stick up work in progress and regularly wave at people at the bus stop!”
The photography is by Ruth Ward.Read more: More
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Ceremony of Roses offices by 22RE feature 1970s-influenced meeting spaces
Los Angeles studio 22RE has included a “huddle room” that resembles a sunken living room at the offices for a creative music agency.
The offices within a 1950s factory in Culver City were designed for Ceremony of Roses, an artist merchandising and brand services company for top music creatives.
A minimalist white oak counter welcomes visitors to the Ceremony of Roses officesWorking with creative director Madeline Denley of creative consultancy Never Far Studios, 22RE completely overhauled the 7,000 square feet (650 square metres) of space to create four executive offices, six communal desks, a showroom, a conference room, a huddle room and a listening room.
“The project was a full-scale, wall-to-wall customisation where we got to dig into functional priorities while maximising visual appeal and comfort,” said 22RE principal Dean Levin.
The main communal workspace features aluminium desks atop a raw concrete floorThe main communal workspace occupies a large, lofted central room illuminated by skylights between the exposed wooden ceiling rafters.Reaching past a minimalist white oak reception desk, the open area features custom aluminium desks and cabinets accompanied by Eames Management chairs atop a raw concrete floor.
Executive offices are visible through glass panelsOn either side, open and closed storage is provided by millwork cabinets and titanium travertine shelves.
A row of executive offices, visible through tall glass panels, are furnished with a mix of French and Italian modernist pieces.
A maple-panelled conference room is furnished with a burl wood table and Pierre Jeanneret chairsA freestanding structure built from dark-stained white oak houses a conference room, which holds a burl wood table and six Pierre Jeanneret floating-back chairs.
Maple wall panels complement the brown carpet, and a spherical Akari lamp is suspended overhead to give the space a warm glow.
White oak and titanium travertine, which appear throughout the project, were used to craft the kitchenOn the other side of the communal work area is a kitchen, where the same material palette of white oak and titanium travertine continues.
A matte aluminium dining table with matching curved-back chairs – another set of 22RE custom designs – provides a space for employees to eat and congregate.
22RE custom-designed the matte aluminium dining table and matching curved-back chairsThe listening room is decorated entirely in a chocolate brown hue, with walnut panelling, carpet and upholstery on the built-in, U-shaped sofa all carefully chosen for a monochrome effect and optimum acoustics.
“The ceilings maximize sound quality, with angles implemented to reverberate music as top creatives gather to experience albums – which also accessorize the shelved wall – on vinyl,” said 22RE.And And And Studio brings 1970s elements to Century City Law Office
The “huddle room” is modelled on a 1970s sunken lounge, evidenced by its low wraparound sofa modules upholstered in pale green mohair.
A custom aluminium table referencing designs by Oscar Niemeyer was placed in the center and a vintage Akari light by Isamu Noguchi hangs above.
An acoustically optimised listening room is decorated entirely in chocolate brown”The space’s soft and hard, warm and cold elements amplify the contrast of the warm wood and industrial materials that are apparent across the office interiors,” said the studio.
In stark contrast to the rest of the office, bathrooms are enveloped floor-to-ceiling in vibrant blue, including three-inch Japanese ceramic tiles.
In contrast, the bathrooms are enveloped floor to ceiling in vibrant blue22RE’s previous projects include a golf clothing boutique in Miami with pale-green stucco surfaces informed by the sport and the city.
Other offices in LA with unexpected interiors include the Century City offices of an entertainment law firm, which also have a 1970s vibe.
The photography is by Yoshihiro Makino.Read more: More
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Ministry of Design’s Workshop is a collaborative space for post-Covid working
A simple steel framework incorporates both desks and storage in the self-designed all-white studio of architecture firm Ministry of Design in Singapore.
With the MOD Workshop, studio founder Colin Seah set out to create a different type of workspace from Ministry of Design’s award-winning Bar Code office, which the practice occupied from 2010 to 2023.
Ministry of Design has designed a new office for itself in SingaporeThe new office is less than a third of the size, with a focus on facilitating collaboration between coworkers who don’t spend as much time in the office as they did before the coronavirus pandemic.
“In line with MOD’s transition towards a technologically-enabled work environment, which allows for most designers to work remotely, the Workshop dispenses with typical workplace conventions,” Seah said.
The space is divided by a steel framework that incorporates desks and storage”Instead, it devotes 60 per cent of the layout to creative face-to-face collaboration because when we do need to meet in person, we really want it to make it count,” he continued.The 93-square-metre space is divided into a series of interconnected areas for collaboration, as well as hot desks and utility spaces, via a three-dimensional metal framework.
A wall clad with cable trays allows objects to be attached with hooks or magnetThe minimal scaffold incorporates screens made from frosted polycarbonate and fluted glass that allow light to pass through, generating a bright and layered aesthetic within the workspace.
The same materials were used to form shelves and worktops, with solid aluminium rods inserted into the polycarbonate panels to allow them to support heavier items.
One of the main workspaces is centred around what MOD describes as a counter-height “war room” table that can be used for shared creative activities as well as design discussions and presentations.Ministry of Design creates lush “banking conservatory” for Citibank Singapore
The table’s surface is made from frosted tempered glass that, along with other glossy and mirrored materials, helps to bounce light around the interior and enhance the spacious feel.
The metal framework incorporates an adjustable lighting system above the table that can simulate different light conditions, while large windows minimise the requirement for artificial lighting during the daytime.
To one side of the table is a wall clad with cable trays, allowing objects to be attached with hooks or magnets. Shelving along the opposite wall forms part of a material and artefact library.
The interior is almost entirely whiteThe library shelves span the full length and width of the Workshop, ensuring the designers always have easy access to materials used to inspire and stimulate creativity.
A row of hot desks along one wall and a meeting table near the entrance provide alternative areas for working and collaboration, with utility spaces including a pantry, printer and storage tucked away in a corner.
In contrast to the bright-white interior of the workspace, a compact restroom concealed behind a mirrored door is designed as a private sanctuary lined with black tiles.
In contrast, the bathroom is clad in black tilesMOD has completed more than 140 projects since it was founded by Seah in 2004, offering clients a holistic service that often includes architecture, product design, interior architecture, branding or landscaping.
“We love to question where the inherent potential in contemporary design lies and then to disturb the ways they are created or perceived, redefining the world around us in relevant and innovative ways, project by project,” Seah said.
Previous MOD projects include an office in a conservatory-like atrium filled with tropical plants and a co-living space with all-white interiors.
The photography is by Jovian Lim.Read more: More
