Office of Blocks

Exploring how an otherwise confined space—here, a tiny office—expands to accommodate the temporary and the permanent, and the communal and the private, formed the brief for this project. The client, an HR advisory firm in Hong Kong, required an office that was spatially efficient, aesthetically curious and human-centric, in a city whose captivating skyline is only outdone by its breathtaking real estate prices.

The challenge: Such office needed to flex with diverse occupancies (4 to 18) in spite of its tight enclosure (41 square meters) and low ceilings (7’4”). The solution: Taking a cue from the interiors of the early 20th century style - Prairie School. Horizontality in the Prairie School evoked the vast, open plains of the American Midwest prior to its industrialization, and here, horizontal bands of windows and lines direct the inhabitant’s gaze to the “horizontal” expanse of the office, in spite of the ceiling height, to reveal the potential community within this space. Cabinetry, likewise, is conceived as a series of floating “functional blocks” embedded along a peripheral wall, like a gallery that invites occupants to follow its path (refer to diagram), to reveal how each “functional block,” in a form of an aesthetic curiosity, is able to fulfill an essential purpose whether it be “stationary & printing” or “food & beverage.”

The remaining areas then promote flexible programming and formal/informal interactions, maximizing spatial efficiency: The entry foyer is also a reception, training room and social area; the backroom for folding chairs and relaxation. Fluctuations in occupancies due to hiring of freelancers, sporadic work from home arrangements, and hosting of events are satisfied.