Darwin Offices – Cluj-Napoca
Corporate Office Solutions created a bright space with dynamic rooms at the Darwin offices in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
As you crossed the areas adjacent to the office buildings in recent years, the sound of your steps was often the only sound you could hear. The silence in these spaces, once full of movement and noise, was becoming oppressive.
In the online environment, there were various opinions and proposals regarding the office spaces, the idea that they were going to be left unused, that the field of constructions for the office environment would come to a halt for many years to come, or that companies would put in place policies in order to force employees to return to their workspaces.
Now, walking down the same sidewalks as we did three years ago, something seems to be different. And yet, something seems to be the same as in the past. Smiles are seen on people’s faces, steps are heard, people are in a hurry, others chat in front of a fountain. We could say that the period of crisis never existed. We could say that everything is exactly as we remembered it. Still, office spaces are changing.
There has been a change in recent years that some companies already felt long ago. And now, with all the technological adjustments, users are no longer able to embrace the old office spaces.
The requirements of the Darwin team were general, yet specific: to create an office space that would incorporate any type of work (online, face to face, ad-hoc meetings, formal and informal workspaces, small and large). Moreover, part of the Darwin team works a few floors up in the same building, which is why this new space will serve as a meeting and discussion area for many employees in the first part of the day.
Access to the space is done through two entrances that are treated in a completely different manner. The main entrance to the space is marked by the company logo and a café area in light colors, ready for sunny mornings. The secondary entrance is prepared for hasty users, who want to reach the work area immediately.
As we already are accustomed to the work café concept, it incorporates both the need for physical awakening (most often achieved by drinking coffee) and for sensory awakening. An open, relaxing space, ready to accommodate any movement made by new users. With no clear spatial limits, we find in the same space open work areas, a space dedicated to teams working on projects, informal meeting areas and areas for one-on-one meetings.
As one goes through the space, it changes colors and lighting, preparing the user for the type of activity he/she is looking for. The dedicated workspaces, in the offices, complement the informal and hectic areas, through their regularity. On the contrary, behind the few walls, a new work area will surprise you, both through its location and the manner of using it.
At the center of the space, you will find an almost closed area, confined on several side, which invites to sit down inside it. It prepares you for a presentation, an open discussion or a meeting with a coworker. This area, flanked by open-space meeting spots, remains the central point of the space, to which the other surroundings are subordinated.
The Southern part of the space hosts most of the dedicated offices. The transition to this space can be felt on a visual level through the change to darker shades, but also on an auditory level, the area being segregated by a complex system of metal railings, ribbed glass inserts and sound-absorbing panels.
The expansion of the Darwin offices is an example of a new beginning, of the evolution of technology, of office spaces, an example of adjustment and progress. Returning to the office has never been more pleasant.
Design: Corporate Office Solutions
Design Team: Laura Dragomir, Alexandru Haraga, Anca Rus, Adrian Popa, Alexandra Nagy
Photography: MOONLAB MEDIA | Dan Campean
