Project Of The Week – Shanghai Zhihui CIFI Square Modeling Finance Office

This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features the verdant, boutique-style project by G-Art Design for financial services offices in Shanghai, bringing a breath of fresh air to the workplace and putting foliage at the forefront of interior design.

The idea behind this project was to create a workplace with a focus on offering innovative financial services. The designer wanted to give employees the feeling of working inside a boutique hotel-style space; they achieved this by blending clean, modern design with lush foliage, creating a personalised workplace designed to be a breath of fresh air. During the planning stages, the architect took advantage of the building design to draw natural light from the exterior into the space while capitalising on the spectacular views of the lush landscaping outside. Existing internal concrete partitions were removed and instead areas are now separated with glass so the interior consists of a series of ‘bubbles’. Stepping from the lift, visitors face an open reception while the functional areas include a lobby bar, boardroom, three-screen conference room, working section one, VIP club, a water bar, oxygen chamber for staff, working section two and the CEO’s office.

SBID had the opportunity to speak with Kim Huang, General Manager & Design Director of G-Art Design International about this refreshing  office design project.

Company: G-Art Design International

Project: Shanghai Zhihui CIFI Square Modeling Finance Office

Project Location: Shanghai, China

What was the client’s brief?

With innovative financial enterprises being the intended customers, the designer proposes the idea of “working in my boutique hotel guestroom”, which aims to create a fashionable and elegant office space with strong sense of design by incorporating style and distinguished quality with the user-friendly experience endowed by a boutique hotel.

What inspired the design of the project? 

The design is led by the concept of incorporating outdoor landscapes with a pleasant working environment. Instead of a traditional LOGO wall, a penetrating glass box comes into sight as customers enter the office foyer exposing the vibrant and elegantly earthy interior as they get their first glimpse into the office space. The front desk is located on the right side of the reception hall. It is made up of antique copper brushed stainless steel, Shangri-La marble, and wood veneer with Eucalyptus ripple finish to carry the natural, outdoor theme throughout. The feature wall is created by crystal blocks in varied thickness. Meanwhile, the lighting at the back helps to reinforce an artistic conception of Chinese landscape painting.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

The office area at the foyer is comprised of several transparent glass boxes, which is designed to provide separated yet continuous space. The upper and lower borders of the glasses are made up of LED light strips which appear to be very delicate. The dark ceiling above the public area is made up of transparent acrylic punched plates. The dimensions of the punched holes have been designed to match those of the lighting fixtures, the spray system, as well as the smoke detectors, air-conditioners and the air outlet of the fresh air system. All devices are integrated with the new material to reinforce the unity of the ceiling. Implementation of these features required meticulous planning, seamless attention to detail and accuracy to achieve the desired finish without compromising on the integrity of the design.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The acrylic light slices at the chamfer of the ceiling, as well as its exquisite inlaying process with antique copper brushed stainless steel, brings a sense of future science and technology to the space. The half-height TV system is well integrated with the plant wall at the back. This space is of great significance which on one hand features the service concept of boutique office area, and on the other hand, advocates the humanistic spirit of providing a holistic, human-oriented office environment.

Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?

SBID hosts a considerable number of international awards and has been firmly established as one of the most prestigious design events in the industry in terms of status and specifications.Winning the SBID International Design Awards is a great achievement and an honour for global designers.

Questions answered by Kim Huang, General Manager & Design Director at G-Art Design. 

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If you missed last week’s Project of the Week with HMKM for the launch of Robinsons, click here to see more

Entries to the SBID Awards 2017 are now closed. To find out more about booking a table, click here

We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

G-Art Design International | SBID International Design Awards 2017

This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire series features an extravagant residential space located in Gubei, Shanghai, a finalist in our Residential over £1M category last year. The aim of the project was to create a prestigious and comfortable home which encompassed all the requirements of the owners, namely style and business functionality.

In the living area, the Portugal Grey marble flooring perfectly matches the jade marble TV wall, exuding ultimate elegance. The graceful accent continues in the adjoining dining area with the Shangri-la black marble mini bar creating a subtle yet elegant space. The master suite is topped with dark-oak flooring and light carpet to illustrate a contrasting visual effect of warm and cool colours, conjuring up a holistic luxury experience. In bedroom two, the brown palettes work together with the glossy wood finishes create a luxurious, streamlined look. With carefully selected materials and furniture, the designer has arranged the space with a contemporary approach, creating a refined, tasteful and luxury residence for its owners.

SBID had the opportunity to speak with Chong Chiu Fung, Chief Creative Officer at Steve Leung

Company: Steve Leung Designers

Project: No.3, One Park Shanghai

Project Location: Gubei, Shanghai, China.

What was the client’s brief?

The project is situated in Gubei, which is a premium location for residence. The target demographic for this project was wealthy families with a high income, so we needed to create homes that reflected their status, lifestyle and taste for the luxurious.

Also, as lots of the owners are businessmen, we needed to take into account their specific requirements, including work spaces for their everyday business needs.

What inspired the design of the project? 

Italian design was a big inspiration for this project – especially their premium leather which is known for its craftsmanship and high quality. Italian design also possesses a certain substance and originality. To create an absolutely luxurious and indulgent experience for the residents we felt that adding Italian furniture and decors would not only lift up the whole space, but would also appeal to the style and the taste of the owners.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

Located in the heart of the prestigious Gubei International Residence area, the client hoped that One Park Shanghai would not only serve as an extravagant residence but also serve as a place for business. Due to the fact that residential and commercial/business designs are different in terms of the ambience and functions, the design team had to find a way to accommodate both needs and requirements.

In the end, the design team were able to create a space that satisfied all the needs of the owner. From the colour palette to the material selection, the design director hand-picked fabrics, upholstery and wallpapers in Italy and created a chic home space with an official work station tailored for business. Sophistication and extravagance is demonstrated through the use of lacquered wood, hand-woven leather finishes, grey patterned marble, silk finishes and brushed stainless steel finishes, etc.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The residence was a very large space so the design team had to make use of careful spatial planning with different zones designated for different purposes. We took the client’s brief and starting working on it. After the design proposal, the client was very happy as we were able to take all their needs into account. They were excited about the design and gave us free rein on the development. Of course there were some changes during the course of the project, however we would say that the client really believed in us and trusted that our work would create a perfect match for them, and it did!

Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?

To win an SBID Award is a very prestigious achievement and we hoped to demonstrate our extraordinary work through this platform.

Questions answered by Chong Chiu Fung, Chief Creative Officer at Steve Leung

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Entries to the SBID Awards 2017 are now closed. To find out more about booking a table Click Here

We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

Steve Leung Designers | SBID International Design Awards 2017