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Architects: SAKUMAESHIMA
- Area: 325 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Masaaki Inoue | Bouillon foto
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Manufacturers: Creation Baumann, ModuleX, Oshima Pros, Timber Crew
Text description provided by the architects. HAKUHODO HEAD OFFICE ENTRANCE is an interior design project for the entrance (reception area, lounge area, and meeting area) of the offices of Hakuhodo, a leading advertising agency in Japan. This area, which includes the reception that serves as the face of the company, was planned as a space where events for internal and external use can be held and where not only employees but also business partners and collaborators can work and meet.
Traditionally, corporate entrances are often designed to promote and showcase a company's prestige and dignity. However, the entrance design here is not limited to this. It is intended as a space that can encompass a variety of situations as a point of contact not only for employees but also for various cooperative partners. The interior elements were chosen so that each person can spend their time freely, whether chatting and eating, working hard on a remote session with an outside party, or holding a meeting, while still feeling a sense of prestige akin to the company's entrance.
Even though the area is only about 300 sqm, since it is a place where people frequently come and go and the face of the company, the color scheme was considered so that people could have a calm conversation even for a short period. The original ceiling was dismantled to extend the ceiling height as much as possible and to open up the space. The ducts and pipes were unified in silver and grey to eliminate as much oppressive feeling and noise felt from the space as possible. We also created the base palette of the office space with olive-grey walls, grayscale interior elements, and green foliage.
As there is a separate work area in the same building, it was also possible to design this entrance space completely independently. Upon entering, guests are greeted by an area covered with wood-cement boards, and as they pass through, on the right side, a reception desk that looks as if it were a standing block of wood welcomes them. While the reception area is designed to be immediately recognizable to guests, it also acts as a wall for the meeting area behind it. The backroom is also located on the back side to ensure functionality. Relocating the reception to the wall side also allowed the area facing the large southwest window to be flexible and arranged as a lounge during the day and as a presentation area at events. The result is a layout combining unit seating, stools and window bench seating with greenery. The stools, tables, and shelves that are part of these pieces of furniture are of original design and designed so that they can be made from scraps of wood from woodworking manufacturers.
A meeting area was set up near the entrance, and, as there are no windows on the private room side, the movable doors are made of molded glass to allow natural light while maintaining confidentiality.
