Best Place to Work

Harborn

Project
Office
Location
Rotterdam
Realization
2023

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were approached to design a new office. Already anticipating the consequences of the pandemic, the client had canceled the lease on his 1500m² office space and purchased a much smaller 650m² space in a post-war building in the heart of Rotterdam. The challenge was to optimize the functionality of the business operations within this limited space and implement a new way of working.

In close collaboration with the client, we explored several scenarios to create a functional and dynamic workplace. We decided to divide the space into three zones: one zone for work, one for meetings and focus, and one for encounters. 

By carefully analyzing the occupancy and presence of employees, we organized the office so that there would always be enough space for everyone – from small focus booths to long tables where people could flexibly gather, and still have room for clients who wished to stay and work after their visit. All this in a space less than half the size of their former office.

The warm colour palette and the extensive use of wood in modern panelling, combined with solid wood detailing, create a beautiful contrast with the building’s concrete structure. A smart ventilation system with a heat pump and heat exchanger makes it possible to cool the south side of the building while reusing the heat to warm the north side.

Since the final result seamlessly aligned with the high-tech and innovative nature of this ICT company, we also suggested changing the company’s name. To assist with this, we called in our friends at Dasburo, who helped the client develop a new name and identity inspired by the formal design language of the interior.

After decades of functioning as an outdated open-plan office under a suspended ceiling, this space was transformed into a warm, post-COVID office. It is a place that can once more withstand the test of time, with room for both work and meeting, that has given the team’s productivity a significant boost. Not surprisingly, the client was awarded the "Best Place to Work" award the year after completion.