Open - Workspace
The new workspace designed for the successful branding and advertising firm Open, was officially ‘opened for business’ in December 2014 in the South Tel Aviv neighborhood of Montefiore at the heart of an industrial complex in a converted garage hangar that was redesigned by Architect Dan Troim.
In line with the brief provided by Open, the main challenge was how to create a workspace that inspires an innovative and creative atmosphere that grants its inhabitants a ‘collective meeting of the minds feel’, which is both dynamic and structured to provide the required functional privacy and quiet.
The deserted 600 sq., 8 meter high hangar, originally used for industrial purposes was thus divided into 2 separate floors that share a central area. The idea was to create a basic partition that would emphasize the extreme incongruence of the open space and the partitioned office spaces at its perimeter. The central open space is situated at the creative heart of the business, housing designers and creative professionals that share 5 desks for 25 people to work at, surrounded by sketch boards and illustrations that dispense a creative inspiration throughout the space. The peripheral areas of the ground floor and the gallery floor house the firm’s various administrative functions: meeting rooms and offices that enclose the central space. These areas are enfolded in opaque reinforced glass to enable those working in the offices and in central open space their privacy at all times.
Upon entering the space, you are impressed with the vastness of the hangar space, but the entrance hall and the lounge areas surrounded by a huge book case, create a separation from the shared central space. The design concept dictates an emphasis on the original hangar materials. The office walls are made of steel and reinforced glass, the staircase is constructed of serrated tin and the lamps hanging from the steel construction are reminiscent of the original hangar roof. The space was “injected” with elegant furnishings and materials that depict a light and eclectic feel, coming together to create a colorful work environment that is warm and interesting. The entrance lounge is furnished with various types of chairs and low tables made of wood and steel. The kitchen and dining areas were designed with simplicity and informality to encourage interaction and enable a break from the busy workday.
The entire space was designed and constructed to instill a feeling of cozy intimacy to inspire interaction between the office’s various professionals while preserving their privacy. The eclectic design also reflects the creative process that is both shared and enjoyed amongst the employees as well as with visiting clients.
