atelier write has completed the interior of a small office for a tech start-up company located in a quiet area of minami aoyama, tokyo. the exposed concrete inner walls are decorated with polycarbonate hollow sheets that serve as partitions, providing privacy but still allowing natural light to permeate the different rooms. meanwhile, the studio has decided to create custom designs for all electrical outlets, turning them into a unified installation that helps generate a sleek, minimal, and functional environment for the employees. 

exterior view all images courtesy of yasunori nakano, unless stated otherwise

although atelier write was initially supposed to design just the president’s room, lead designer takuya sakamoto thought that going over all the different spaces would significantly improve the quality of the whole office. therefore, the design team proceeded to replan the workspace in its entirety. the project was eventually formed to provide a president’s office, a meeting room that doubles as a place where several employees can work, as well as a seminar room for engineer training for other companies. still, the clients asked that the cost would not exceed the original general specifications. 

small private rooms, such as the president’s and the seminar room, were placed toward the street right next to the windows, so as to connect with the outside and visually expand the space. polycarbonate hollow sheets were chosen as a finishing material for the partitions, thus providing the gaze shielding function while ensuring sufficient daylight throughout the whole interior. 

many electrical outlets were required for the use of servers, communication equipment, seminars, etc. meanwhile, the rooms are small, so the electrical outlets are quite visible within the space, and contribute to defining a specific design character. with this in mind, atelier write decided to provide a custom appearance for these outlets. first, in order to avoid complications, the base steel LGS was cut and the electrical outlets were directly embedded to attach them flat. furthermore, to unify all the electrical outlets’ installation, LGS is used continuously on the walls or converted to wiring ducts on the ceiling. in addition, the metal frame of the electrical outlets was exposed without a cover plate to harmonize with the texture of LGS.

by working on materials and elements that are usually overseen, takuya sakamoto intended to turn them into a unique addition and a positive presence within the workspace. the functional and stoic appearance of the lighting features is also linked to the company’s general attitude. while the scale of offices is shrinking due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for real workplaces is being reaffirmed, and that’s why the atelier write team aimed to add value such as individuality and attachment with minimum means.

LGS wiring duct + electrical outlet (seminar room)

LGS board stud + electrical outlet (seminar room)

LGS wall + electrical outlet (entrance)

LGS wall stud + lighting switch (seminar room)

LGS wall + electrical outlet (president’s room)

plan image courtesy of atelier write

section (interior elevation) image courtesy of atelier write

axonometric image courtesy of atelier write

name: small office in minami aoyama design studio: atelier write lead designer: takuya sakamoto client: neugate construction: mirainoyuuki electrical construction: ken denken support: ENDO lighting (illuminance calculation) location: minami aoyama, tokyo, japan floor area: 65 sqm photography: yasunori nakano

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom

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