Design Boards
What we did...
We worked with the client in several stages. After exploring their needs, we developed the brief and went on to propose the ‘Café in the Park’ concept and outline designs.
The client's existing café space was busy at lunchtime but barely used during the rest of the working day making it an underutilized asset. Our brief was to reimagine the space as somewhere that could support a range of other activities throughout the day such as an agile work space, quiet meetings, social activity and recuperation.
The design incorporated a range of biophilic features and spaces: communal eating areas, recuperation zones, collaborative meeting places and communal social spaces – all accessible by a pathway winding organically through the space. This rich diversity of spaces ensured that the various activities and needs of employees throughout the day could be supported.
Visualisations of Proposal
The Consultancy Process:
Stage 1 – This involved Skype interviews and meetings as well as reviewing CAD drawings and photos of the existing space to understand the clients needs. Both practical issues and ideal outcomes were considered. For example, the 13th Floor café area was being used at full capacity between the hours of 12-2pm; yet its remaining opening hours were only being used at 20% capacity. This made it an expensive and underused resource. OHD identified the opportunity to develop a mixed-use space which could be utilised throughout the day.
Stage 2 – Analysis of the existing areas, looking at both the negative implications of the current space and the positive Biophilic Design opportunities that had yet to be maximised. The existing space lacked visual richness and diversity, with long tables and chairs mostly dominating the space. However, the large windows wrapping around the open plan area could provide good access to natural light and views across the city with better positioned furniture.
Stage 3 – Using cutting edge research and Biophilic Design expertise, to underpin the return on investment, we created a complete and innovative design concept to unlock the potential of the space. This took into consideration how the space could be better utilised whilst optimising user experience, wellbeing and restoration.
Stage 4 – The concept was communicated in an outline design report with supporting plans, images and visualisations, allowing the project team in Japan to easily understand and implement our evidence-based ideas.
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