An Office Space That Encourages Engagement
The founders of Hong Kong studio Bean Buro discuss their latest project, a calm office space in the city, inspired by traditional Japanese architecture, where employee comfort and wellbeing are the top priorities
Design Anthology: How did you first meet the client?
Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui (KKT): Our client admanGo (a media monitoring company) came to us after seeing some of our previous projects in the media, and was drawn to our fresh approach to workplace design.
What’s unique about the building and the location?
Lorène Faure (LF): The building is in Wanchai, one of Hong Kong’s busiest commercial areas, so our approach was to create a calming and tranquil workspace that’s high above and away from the district’s buzzing atmosphere. Located on a high floor, the office has good views of the city and plenty of natural light.
What was the project brief?
LF: The company would be moving into this new office from their existing location, so the client’s main desire was to take this move as an opportunity to create a much more comfortable workspace for their approximately 50 employees, many of whom often need to work long hours and late into the night due to the nature of their work.
Their previous workspace was a traditional grey office, with cubicles and dim, cold lighting —none of which was very homey. The fixed-desk arrangement and single formal meeting room meant social interaction among employees was rare. The new brief thus also called for a stronger workplace identity that would improve employee engagement.
What design references or narrative did you try to incorporate into the space?
LF: Being trained architects, we approached the project by incorporating some of the architectural principles or traditions we’re most passionate about.
KT: Being half Japanese, I have many childhood memories of visiting my relatives in Kansai and seeing beautiful traditional Japanese temples and how strong (and yet humble) they are, the warm and cosy effects of timber construction, and their invisible power to bring people together.
We were also inspired by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki’s writing on the philosophy of inhabiting ‘shadows’ —the spaces under large, sculptural roofing elements in traditional Japanese architecture.
Thus we created our own take on a sculptural element, which we called the ‘hatted roof’. This roof structure links the entrance reception, pantry, cafe and boardroom together as the focal point, and becomes the backdrop of the open-plan workspace. This allowed us to keep all of the windows open to the view outside, allowing for maximum natural light in the space.
Please tell us a little about the material choices for the space.
LF: We chose a materials and colour palette of mainly timber and neutral whites to create a calming and comfortable space. This natural background is balanced with bursts of mustard yellow in the entrance reception and cafe pantry to create a sense of energy in these social spaces.
Can you tell us about the pieces you custom designed?
KT: The ‘hatted roof’ element was constructed with an internal skeletal lattice form and finished in timber veneer; this technique allowed us to create wonderful curvatures. Applying veneer sheets onto double-curved surfaces required careful craftsmanship.
LF: We created a simple full-height, solid timber lattice shelving system in the reception area, for decorations, books and plants. We also created a bespoke signature ‘Bean Table’ for their conference room — a curvy table that sits like a piece of art in the middle of the boardroom, with a gallery wall behind it. The idea was to create a contemporary and welcoming meeting room that doesn’t feel like a traditional corporate boardroom.
How long did the interior fit-out process take?
LF: The client came to us early, so we were able to enjoy a longer design process that took three months, and the construction fit-out process took around two months to complete.
As told to / Suzy Annetta
Images / Courtesy of Bean Buro
