The Secret Little Agency Offices – Singapore
John Lim designed the offices of creative studio The Secret Little Agency, located in Singapore.
Singapore-born creative shop The Secret Little Agency (TSLA) marks its 10th year of operations with a brand new office space designed by architect John Lim. Its new premises along Havelock Road occupy an entire floor of a building that, in another life, was a shopping mall (Isetan Emporium) in the ‘70s and then a warren of infamous karaoke lounges in the ‘90s.
In most office buildings with circular floor plates, the centre is typically occupied by services and a circulation core. In its current iteration, the building offered an almost entirely circular floor plate of 10,000 square feet with no obstructions at the center; a rare condition we acknowledged by leaving it empty as a space of confluence and gathering.
The creative department of the agency boasts 10 synergistic disciplines that see a wide range of creative and design talent including copywriters, art directors, publications designers, environmental designers, prototypes, UX professionals, producers, experience designers and technologists across multifunctional work desks and work shop spaces.
To mirror its operational needs, TSLA’s new office space takes on an open plan concept governed by a radial grid where the center is defined by a ring of varying volumes housing technical labs, private offices and distinct meeting spaces that serve surrounding workspaces at the perimeter.
TSLA team now enjoys the efficiencies that come from being seated on the same floor and in proximity to one another, and the curvature of the space moderates the feeling of openness.
Interior finishes of exposed concrete, plywood and galvanized steel were selected for their functional and vernacular quality. A nod to the company’s tropical geographical heritage, particular attention was paid to the greening of the office, with planters at the perimeter forming a lush landscape framing panoramic views to the outside.
Design: John Lim
Photography: Marc Tan
