Santa & Cole’s headquarters are situated on a generous park complex of over 130 hectares. Surrounded by green, the interior is designed to function for creative minds dedicated to curating design. Previously a school building, the original structure naturally provides the perfect balance between large open office spaces and individual rooms or quiet/meeting areas. To set a smoother transition between these spaces, we create a linear wood membrane in the horizontal axis that only goes up vertically to reach the second floor where there are double-height openings. This “double skin” of the project absorbs different types of functions: it organizes, it showcases products, it divides and creates spaces but it also offers glimpses into other rooms, passes through portals, show-windows, niches, bookcase, and storage. There are a showroom and museum located on the first floor, visited by clients, architects, designers, and students. The design reflects the corporate identity on its simplicity and traditional roots. The overall space has a home-like atmosphere – the warm world of Santa & Cole.
On the first floor at the entry, the ‘welcome totem’ of S&C showcases the company’s main products directions and corporate values – classics of modern design – decorative lighting, furniture, urban elements, trees and editorial products. Further, on this floor: a touchdown area & editorial corner, showroom contract, showroom residential, museum S&C (visitors areas, that also serve as informal appropriation areas for workers), cafeteria, technical department working areas, chief editors offices and prototype laboratory.
On the second floor, the semi-open office layout is interrupted with the social axis of the library and rest area with access to the terrace. There is a balanced distribution of the one-to-one informal meeting areas. At the entry, we have also located hot desking area. On the right part of the floor plan, there are three closed meeting rooms and the executive office.
