Case study: SYZYGY & Ars Thanea | Eclecticism in space, coherence in action
The combination of creation and technology, informal space as a background for new ideas, eclectic design emphasizing the energy and innovation of the activity — these are the features of the joint working environment of SYZYGY and Ars Thenea, designed by the experts of the advisory firm Colliers.
Context and design challenge
Our team faced the challenge of relocating two high-growth companies in the new technology and advertising space. SYZYGY and Ars Thanea are twin digital agencies developing marketing technology solutions. SYZYGY designs and develops web applications and e-commerce platforms, and Ars Thanea is a design & craft studio that creates visual materials for global brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola, Huawei, Adidas, HBO and Ford. Their new work environment was meant to emphasize the eclecticism of their business and combine creativity with innovation.
Goals of the new work environment
Together with our clients, we set the goal of the project — to create a space that meets the needs of dynamic work of developers and creative departments. The companies needed modern and ergonomic space for business development, while maintaining the existing intimacy and atmosphere of places that care about people’s needs, where every person feels comfortable and at ease.
We define an organization’s work environment as a business tool that meets a company’s strategic objectives. This was the case with the SYZYGY and Ars Thanea project. We began the process with our Define stage, which is space demand analysis, employee needs research, and defining strategic goals for creative agency workspaces.
Well planned zoning
We translated the research findings and guidelines for the work environment strategy into a design concept. Our Architecture & Planning team worked on it in a co-creative process with employees.
With an area of over 1,300 sqm, we planned the spatial layout to ensure work comfort and freedom of movement. Work zones were divided into small open spaces for teams of 8 to 10 people, where individual workstations were separated from each other with acoustic curtains. The high acoustic standard and lack of distraction is also ensured by the mineral wool ceiling above the workstations. This allows you to meet the current needs of your employees – focused or collaborative work. To ensure that duties run smoothly, including in hybrid form, the space has been equipped with high-quality AV equipment.
The individual work zones are separated by design tables for collaborative work, chillout spaces and other areas for shared use. Additionally, a large number of small and medium sized meeting rooms have been designed, as it is the lack of these that people have been facing so far.
Supporting relationship building and community formation was one of the key tasks of the new office. In response – in addition to collaborative project space – we designed a large, social kitchen that was connected to a chillout zone. It is a space where employees can have lunch or coffee, but also organize informal meetings and celebrate important moments, both personal and company successes.
An array of colours
For SYZYGY and Ars Thanea it was very important to have a distinctive, characteristic aesthetic, so from the very beginning the Colliers team of architects worked together with the clients on the concept of design in line with the energy DNA of the companies. The office was to have an industrial look but retain the character of a homey space. This atmosphere was achieved through the use of wood elements in several colours, a high open ceiling, patchwork tiles, and brick and metal structures, among other things.
The background of the design includes natural wood colours, bottle green, shades of gray and black. The arrangement was enlivened with furniture with multicoloured upholstery. None of the furniture in the office was placed here by chance – some of it is second-hand, which gives the space authenticity. The homeliness of the interior is complemented by vegetation visible in every area of the office, in a variety of forms. Many of the plants were moved from the previous office. Both of these elements have the idea of zero waste at their core and emphasize the informal nature of the space.
Project authors:
Colliers Define team:
- People & Places Advisory: Dorota Osiecka, Grzegorz Rajca
- Architecture & Planning: Aleksandra Adamczyk, Monika Gut-Kintzi, Zuzanna Jaszczuk, Klaudia Manowska