Universal Music Publishing Group Offices – Beijing
MDDM STUDIO organized different functionality in the open and flexible office environment of Universal Music Publishing Group in Beijing, China.
Located in the Central Business District of Beijing, the venue is open to the north side with a full-size glass façade. A structural join crosses the view creating an interesting focal point.
The brief left the pending question of how to combine a space very open, that would let people to be creative and informal, with areas dedicated to focus or group work. The answer is a fluid design where the space is organized but not divided. Irregular volumes are placed to zone the floorplan for the different functions. Inside the volumes more private activities are protected from the lively outside activity, while the irregular shape of the volumes itself helps to abate the diffusion of the sounds.
The boxes are wrapped with a sandwich of foam and textile to improve the acoustic comfort in an office where the protagonist is clearly the music.
A long-suspended table host the workstation in the south side of the floorplan in an area dominated by a light color palette. Due to the configuration of the boxes, although employees are free to move around in effortless flow, once they sit at the work desk, they can find the comfort of an intimate space surrounded by literally soft partition.
Due to the strict requirement of the building management the design of the horizontal surfaces (ceiling and floor) were very restricted and all the design follows the rigid module of the ceiling panels.
While the majority of the space is dominated by a shade of light grey materials, in the lounge the furniture is an explosion of strong colors to emphasize that in here musicians are invited to perform, to brainstorm and to express their creativity at the best. Sliding semitransparent partition helps to disengage the lounge from the rest of the office.
This color dynamic approach is also found in the general manager room presenting a setting of volumetric furniture with a background of blue wallpaper.
A special room with soundproof wall partition is dedicated to let small group of musician and producer to work focus and isolated.
Design: MDDM STUDIO
Design Team: Margret Domko, Momo Andrea Destro, Amirlin Sunderiya, Stella SongZi
Contractor: Craftlink Limited
Photography: Jonathan Leijonhufvud
