Modern Tranquility in Hangzhou: Zen in the office

On the top floor of a building in a business park near the Xixi wetland area in Hangzhou, China is an office for the catering company Cishan. The company prides itself on having a sober, restrained, serene and rational atmosphere.

The design by Studio8 subtly reflects the brand's ethos through the thoughtful choice of materials, the strategic arrangement of spaces, the interplay of full and empty spaces, the seamless transitions between interior and exterior, the integration of natural landscapes, and the display of antique furniture.

Diversified spaces to meet various needs

Work is part of life, and in contemporary workspaces a warm and familiar environment is essential. Beyond conventional office design, diverse spaces are integrated to meet various needs, partially domesticating the office space to make the daily work environment more comfortable and pleasant.

The circulation of space has been divided into dynamic and static paths to facilitate communication with the public and work within the office.

The building's original floor plan features a square grid structure with regular columns. The goal was to create an open working environment that would integrate seamlessly with the outdoor environment while maintaining areas of privacy. The overall spatial structure combines full and empty elements.

A relatively “solid” central island was enclosed within the grid of columns to accommodate small conference rooms, an open kitchen, and photocopy storage. This multifunctional central island serves as a transition between public and private spaces, separating the reception and communications area from the private office area. The partially exposed columns soften the closed volume of the central island, allowing the space to flow.

Natural light and custom-made elements

Adjacent to the central island is a landscape void space to enhance lighting, serving as another core element in the office. Leveraging the top-floor advantage, Studio8 designed a sunken courtyard with a skylight connecting the indoor space to the rooftop terrace. The courtyard features tree pits accommodating various plant root systems, enriching the landscape.

From the "living room" reception area, the open kitchen, the internal office area, and the aisle leading to the bathroom, one can see this courtyard, feeling the outdoor atmosphere from the interior. The outdoor landscape and indoor space are independent yet intricately connected.

This natural area provides views, lighting, partitions, and spatial transitions while connecting the open offices and the meeting room. To access the meeting room, one must cross the courtyard through a gray transitional corridor, which offers a unique experience of transitioning from indoors to outdoors and back again.

The patio wall design ingeniously extends to the rooftop terrace, connecting the upper and lower spaces and creating a landscaped courtyard setting for the meeting room while maintaining privacy. Interior corporate stairs lead to the rooftop terrace, a completely open-air space. Instead of using off-the-shelf outdoor furniture, a fireplace, low tables, seating and tree pits were custom-built, supported by steel plate retaining walls and embellished with greenery, creating a multifunctional outdoor area suitable for relaxation and business meetings.

The entire office space features a ceiling-free design, exposing the original beam structure, with spotlights providing precise lighting where needed. Pendant lights in the open office area offer both upward and downward illumination, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Indoor materials are simple and restrained, primarily using wood, artistic paint, and self-leveling cement.

The public area’s open kitchen and tea space are wrapped in black wood panels, with black-framed glass facing the open office space. The same wood panel material encloses the pipe shaft opposite the island, creating a semi-enclosed long bench space for resting, conversing, and interacting with the open kitchen.

Window-side cabinets in the open office area also use black wood panels, integrated with office furniture, establishing a calm and restrained dialogue between different materials.

A zen-like atmosphere for the offices

Soft elements in the space come from the owner's antique furniture collection. The small stool and coffee table in the reception area, the tea table and chairs in the meeting room, the side table next to the light well corridor, and a Ming chair and a set of Chinese medicine drawers at the end of the open office area subtly balance the office's rational and rigid elements. This combination of office space and antique furniture creates a Zen-like atmosphere, serene with a touch of warmth.

Extending the company's brand ethos, its restaurant 'Shy Table'—which serves modern Sino-Western fusion cuisine—is located on the ground floor of the building. From the top-floor office to the ground-floor restaurant, the design consistently conveys the brand's restrained and serene image and character, down to the finest details.

>>> Also discover Magic Place designed by Cun Design