Cubico Office, a Design Inspired by Nature

In the heart of Milan, Progettazione Aurea designs the new headquarters of Cubico Sustainable Investments, a project that fully embraces a regenerative design approach, aiming to restore the relationship between humans and nature in the workplace.

Cubico Office: “Nature as a Regenerative Element”

"Progettazione Aurea knows well that an intimate contact with Nature means also a special “biophilic” geometry in the artificial built environment, i.e.  patterns that trigger the same positive and restorative reactions as natural elements. In fact, the restorative quality of Cubico Office does not depend primarily upon green, but upon a special type of “organized complexity” (e.g., symmetry, scaling symmetry, alignment of elements, scaled-up elements) in its structure, together with combinations of shape, color and arrangements which contribute to an “unconscious” connection with Nature".

 

Rita Berto, Environmental psychologist, PhD in perception and psychophysics, consultant in regenerative and biophilic design.

“A sensorially ergonomic place”

"In Cubico office the connection to Nature is present in its many forms, as scenery, plants, shapes, lights, sounds, materials and scents. Our senses must be both cherished and, in a good way, challenged, in right amount, by providing positive environmental stimulation. What is most essential is to remove negative stimuli (i.e. environmental stressors). The Cubico office is a “sensorially ergonomic place” that feeds all of the senses properly. In Cubico office there are many essential factors affecting positively individual’s spatial experience and wellbeing; spaces are designed so that its atmosphere and design language match with its function". 

 

Rita Berto

Progettazione Aurea’s approach arises from direct observation of nature, interpreting its geometries as true tools for the flourishing of life. Form thus becomes the core of the design expression: every element - furniture, space, opening - is shaped according to its function and to natural proportions, including those of the human body.

In line with this philosophy, curvilinear elements define the spaces, transforming them into environments designed to support people’s psychophysical wellbeing and to align atmosphere and design language with the different functions the space accommodates.

For a flexible and sustainable workplace

Inside a 1960s building, Cubico Office is conceived as a workspace designed to accommodate 34 people, with the possibility of adding six more workstations. The project includes a large open-plan working area, a fully equipped break area, phone booths that ensure workers’ privacy, and versatile meeting rooms - two of which can be combined to form a plenary room capable of hosting up to 24 people. Each workstation has a view toward at least one windowed side, with a wide field of vision and greenery always present in sight. 

The office’s location on an upper floor of the building ensures an abundant supply of natural light, which is used as a true design tool. Artificial lighting, selected with a color temperature that simulates the quality of midday light (3,000 K), has been designed to allow for future reconfigurations of the workstations without the need to modify the system.

The L-shaped layout required particularly careful spatial planning. The structural columns and the ceiling configuration naturally defined a circulation band that separated the open-plan area from the corridor. In the northern portion of the office, however, the spaces were more enclosed and less luminous, making a targeted design intervention necessary.

An additional challenge was the entrance, which opened directly onto the operational core of the office: a visual and functional filter was therefore designed to welcome visitors while preserving the privacy and concentration of the workspaces.

The project integrates 26.2 m² of living greenery while using only 5 m² of floor space. This plant presence is capable of capturing approximately 100 kg of CO₂ per year and producing up to 125 liters of oxygen per day, contributing to improved environmental quality within the space. Among the primary materials used, natural cork stands out, chosen for its sustainable qualities and excellent acoustic performance: it can absorb up to 70% of sound waves.

Finally, the installation of a sound-absorbing suspended ceiling further enhances the overall acoustic comfort of the workspace.

With Cubico Office, Progettazione Aurea demonstrates a strong awareness of environmental responsibility, through a selection of materials, lighting, forms, and colors aimed not only at recreating a harmonious relationship with nature, but also at understanding it, respecting it, and translating it into a high-quality everyday experience.

>>> Discover the Itelyum offices designed by Vittorio Grassi Architects in Milan