Excerpt: The Hub by MO-Design Studio transforms a two-floor factory building into a lively corporate office centered around an open-to-sky courtyard, envisioned as an urban jungle. The design breaks from traditional offices, emphasizing nature, openness, and visual connectivity with colors, textures, and patterns. The project offers a youthful, interactive, and flexible work environment where all functions revolve around the central courtyard.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] The project is housed in a two-floor factory building with the corporate office designed on the second floor. Surrounded by other factory buildings and open lands with no vegetation, a provision was made for an open-to-sky space in the middle of the office to provide relief from the air conditioned work environment. This open courtyard became the cornerstone of the design, envisioned as an urban jungle around which all other functions would revolve.
The design intent was to break away from the traditional concept of a corporate office and instead create a more interactive, youthful, and lively work environment. This was achieved through a carefully curated balance of colors, textures, and patterns throughout the space. Nature became the primary theme of the project, with a strong emphasis on maintaining a visual connection to it.
The office with a total area of 12,500 sft is designed with an open-plan concept and an exposed ceiling, with only the cabins and conference rooms distinguished by false ceilings and partitions. The open layout, combined with glazing on two sides, ensures that occupants are visually connected to nature from anywhere within the office. The color palette primarily features greys, whites, and wood tones, with accents of yellow and blue to add vibrant pops of color. The subtle tones of wood and grey, complemented by the yellow accents, strike a much needed balance between formality and youthful energy.
The flooring is thoughtfully designed, with light and dark grey carpets used for the open workstations and enclosed spaces, respectively. The main passageway, which serves as the central axis around which various functions are organized, is designed to stand out. It features a creative blend of different carpet colors and textures, forming a harmonious pattern that adds character and visual interest to the space. This visually striking passage not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also helps guide movement and define the spatial flow within the office.
The central open-to-sky courtyard, surrounded by a 2.5m-wide passage, is the heart of the design and the focal point around which various functions like the office, canteen, training rooms, and gym/yoga rooms are organized. This courtyard serves as a versatile spill-out space for all these activities.
The courtyard is meticulously divided into a 3m x 3m grid, with a checkered pattern created using black and grey granite along the outer edge. Planters and dense landscaping accentuate the corners, while the central area remains open and flexible, providing a gathering space for functions, festivals, meetings, and other events. Large pots with trees are strategically placed on the nine stub columns, which were left for future expansions. This space, designed for multiple uses, seamlessly extends and integrates with the activities surrounding it, creating a dynamic and adaptable environment.
The canteen is designed with a fun and playful concept, utilizing a color scheme of black, white, and brown, accented with vibrant pops of yellow. The seating areas and passageways are demarcated by variations in tile design: a bold patterned tile for the seating areas and a more subdued beige tile for the passageways.
The open terrace to the west of the canteen is utilized for housing AC units and other equipment. To create a visual barrier and enhance the aesthetic appeal, a row of planters is placed along the window ledge. This arrangement not only screens the equipment from view but also provides a sense of being surrounded by greenery, contributing to a more pleasant and immersive environment.
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