Astral Media Office Interior .

Astral Media relocated approximately 350 employees to four (4) floors in the heart of the action in downtown Montreal. The goals of this large-scale project included elaborating new furniture standards, fitting up flexible meeting spaces and optimizing employee interconnectivity in a contemporary, energetic and versatile working environment.

Based on the client’s four different business units (radio, television, advertising and digital media), our concept was inspired by key broadcasting industry words such as influence, communication, movement and exchange. The concept plays on the contrast between the medium and the message and manifests itself by means of undulating and pixelated graphic interventions.

The project’s main challenge consisted in guiding the client’s transition toward a youthful and modern image and accommodating a large number previously dispersed employees in a single open and standardized space.

Aside from workstations, we fitted up a main reception area, various meeting spaces (conference and meeting rooms, agora, etc.) as well as common services (dining room, lounge, café, copy centre) on each floor. In order to create a rhythm and a gradation throughout the playful 6,000 m2 space, each floor was identified with its own colour and the levels were linked by a central glass staircase.

Astral Media’s new flexible, functional and bright premises provide a human working experience and favour communication between employees.

by Lemay Associés

DDB Office.

As one of the world’s leading advertising agency, DDB have found a new home at Pico Creative Center in Singapore occupying 2 floors of 100 square meters each. BBFL were appointed as the architects to understand, interpret and create a workspace that embodies DDB’s dynamic working culture.

The design process began with observing the designers at DDB work as a diverse group which involves a high level of discussion, debate and intervention sessions amongst each team with a common goal of achieving a creative solution for their clients. Group discussion activity was crucial for the team where workspace becomes a social network area rather than a confined individual space.

The design process has allowed us to create a bridge between two disciplines which played a huge role in the concept development of the entire DDB environment creating a conspicuous identity.

The workspace concept that revolves around DDB’s office wasn’t just about its corporate colors or even the branding of its company but create a collective space that leans towards the culture of the people in DDB itself. This lead us to create spaces in which improves and promotes inter-connectivity between creative individuals. To enhance this notion, spaces within the work environment weren’t crafted out with walls or any form of concealed demarcation, compositing to an open office setting.

Territories are divided and screened by discussion and collaborative areas within the office. The aim was to enhance the current culture and to encourage a more lively work space, which will ultimately improve a better work flow. The workspaces are designed as long communal tables supporting an open office environment. We design spaces that allow these communal areas to be part of the workspace. Discussion bars are dispersed within team work areas. Even libraries and the staff pantry spanning across both floors were used as collaborative spaces for discussions

Conference rooms were meant to be flexible and open where staff would frequently occupy for internal presentations and brain-storming sessions. Gym-like staggered benches were introduced for audiences to participate in these sessions. Arrival lobbies on the other floors were treated with interactive projection of the collection of works that inspired DDB and a source of expression for the staff.

The spaces were intended to be open, flexible and inspiring where staff could express themselves freely.

DDB as clients, has been a project which involves cross-disciplinary professions, allowing us as designers to push the forefront of art & design as a holistic approach.

 by BBFL Design

Ixe Grupo Financiero Headquarters.

Re-using architecture

The history of a great project is usually the history of a great client; one who is willing to use architecture and to assume the risks involved in good ideas. The history of the corporate building for Ixe Grupo Financiero is a perfect example. This important bank in Mexico, decided to locate their headquarters in the landmark building of Mariano Escobedo and Campos Elíseos in Mexico City. For usoarquitectura, this project is very important for 2 main reasons: first, the excellent communication with the client and second, the opportunity to develop a project inside of a catalogued building designed by architect Augusto H. Alvarez in 1972.

Ixe Grupo Financiero (Ixe Financial Group) is a group of companies founded in 1994 with mainly Mexican funding. By the motto: it is the same, but not equal, Ixe Grupo Financiero is a company with future, concentrated in team work, mutual respect, honesty and the spirit of service. All these values were summarized by usoarquitectura in the interior project developed for the corporate offices that this group needed.

The client´s requirements and the spatial conditions of the building were the clear structure of this project. For Gabriel Salazar and Fernando Castañón it was always evident that their project most rescues all the original elements possible and to maintain the facades of the building that have important architectonic value and quality. When it was built, this building was an example of office space flexibility. This was the line that drew the main concept used by usoarquitectura keeping the perfect relation between all the elements —basis of modulation— architect Alvarez signature.

The operative areas are located in the perimeters of the rectangular floor plan of each level. At the center 2 vertical circulations and the services are located, so there was no need to sacrifice natural lighting. Flexibility and comfort in the floor circulations was achieved by the use of ample corridors. To improve the height between floors part of the slabs and structure were left apparent, using plafond only in the areas close to the windows. usoarquitectura´s team devoted to the maximum detail in the design of the plafonds, lighting and the finishes selection. They also concentrated their efforts in rescuing some of the existing materials such as: granite floors, glass and the infrastructure for facilities and equipment.

To work on the facades of the building was one of the many things usoarquitectura enjoyed about the project. They developed a lighting proposal and a main access plaza from the street. The privileged location of this building — at the junction of 2 main important avenues — gave usoarquitectura´s team the opportunity to emphasize the temperance and solemnity of architect Alvarez architectonic style, by using light to give it a special night exposure.

The project for the corporate offices of Ixe Grupo Financiero is a pride and joy for usoarquitetura. It resumes the two main things they have cared for in their professional career. First: what can be learned out of respect for the talent and knowledge of other colleague architects and second: the opportunity to translate into a functional and harmonic space the way a company works.

by  usoarquitectura