Project Overview

SMART Office spans the 12F and 13F of the Guangming Science City Start-up Area Project. Covering about 2,848㎡, Phase I of the project delivers three core functional spaces: the exhibition hall, offices, and meeting rooms. Tasked with fostering cutting-edge innovation and attracting and nurturing top-tier talent, SMART spearheads comprehensive research-to-market processes, including basic biomedical research, clinical trials, and industrial applications to enhance public health. It executes functions including scientific resource management, medical science research, education and exchanges, clinical research and achievement transformation, and policy advisement. We aim to transform Shenzhen into a hub for biomedical expertise and a pivotal node for biomedicine in the Eastern Greater Bay Area.

Organisation

Fancy Design

Team

Guoxi Fang, Zhirong Chen, Yue Zhang, Huihong Li, Qiaoling Cai, Chaoyi Chen, Xiaogang Wan

Project Brief

This project involves a redesign of an existing space. Initially, the area was hampered by excessive physical barriers, poor lighting, partial obstructions, and a lack of clarity in the layout of public zones. The redesign focuses on reviewing the functional layout and movement flow. It is anchored by the professional image and positioning of Academician Yan Ning, SMART's President. The design language is marked by its simplicity, illumination, and artistry, with a nuanced consideration of scale, materials, colors, and internal vistas, creating an international research office scene that seamlessly blends humanistic sensitivity with a logical, sensory experience.

Project Innovation/Need

1. The indoor landscape weaves together varied greenery, water features, and sound-absorbing and light-filtering materials, breathing life into a suspended garden that embodies fluidity and vibrancy. This echoes the city attribute of Shenzhen as a "Natural Forest City" and represents the dynamic progress of SMART's scientific research efforts.
2. Echoing the external architecture design, the two-story glass curtain wall and full-height foyer reflect SMART's logo through sculptural forms and luminous textures, employing modern design techniques that resonate with SMART's image and positioning.
3. With acute attention to detail, the multi-layered design elements, from decorative motifs and lighting fixtures to logos, impart the space with a rich corporate culture subtly expressed through a blend of humankind and artistic forms.
4. Whiteboard 'inspiration walls' have been introduced in corridors, office spaces, and meeting rooms to spur collective imagination and foster a spirit of collaborative ingenuity.

Design Challenge

The initial office space featured an 8.8-meter-high atrium overshadowed by expansive staircases and physical partitions, causing indoor visual clutter and obstructive settings. The issue of indistinct functional splits and low walkway use rates also plagued the communal areas. Adhering to a transformation principle that capitalizes on existing conditions, the design team reconfigured the spatial layouts and circulation pathways while integrating and consolidating the office discussion situations of SMART. Coupled with extensive use of high-transmission glass, our design leverages the benefits of the lofty ceiling heights to ensure a steady influx of natural illumination and maintain spatial transparency.

Sustainability

1. The multifunctional room's modular conference seating and glass dividers provide the versatility needed for multi-form conference settings.
2. Multi-functional design of space. The reimagined lobby space unites with adaptable soft furnishings to accommodate various functions including welcome areas, meetings, and collaborative workshops.
3. Expansive greening and water features substantially quell indoor temperatures, dampen the harshness of direct light, and curtail energy consumption.