Work Container

The new offices are housed within an industrial shell of 1,200 m², where tall metal racks for cable storage dominate the space from floor to ceiling. The central design idea focuses on the strategic placement of “work containers” that accommodate the staff offices.

 

Corporate Identity & Design

The container form was chosen as a characteristic expression of the company’s industrial identity and environmental ethos. Just as the company’s products are designed to be fully recyclable, the container, originally used for their storage and transport, is repurposed and transformed into office space. Two distinct zones are created on either side of the central storage and packaging area to ensure the uninterrupted circulation of machinery and personnel.

 

 

Spatial Organization

On the west side of the building, the largest container is positioned to function as a customer waiting area and goods reception zone, along with a dispatch office, staff locker area, and archive. On the east side, a cluster of containers arranged across two levels accommodates the remaining needs of the administrative staff, positioned to ensure optimal visual connection with the production area.

On the ground floor of the eastern cluster are two sales offices, a dining room, staff restrooms, and storage. The upper level includes two offices, a meeting and presentation room, and additional storage space. Access to the offices is provided through two opposing entrances, with an internal metal staircase connecting the two floors.

 

 

Materials & Lighting

The material palette consists of metal, wood, and glass -materials commonly used in industrial environments. Metal and glass surfaces form the architectural volumes, while wood is applied in flooring and furniture to complement the construction. The exterior white and gray tones highlight the wooden finishes used inside.

Linear warm-white lighting follows the rectangular surfaces of the containers. Containers serve as a contemporary method of creating workspaces in facilities requiring direct proximity to production. With the appropriate configuration, they allow for efficient workflow while offering the possibility of expansion to meet a company’s future needs, without compromising the overall design.

 

Vibrant hub

Walker Hall is an adaptive reuse of a 1927 building at the core of the University of California, Davis campus. The project transforms a vacant, seismically unsafe building into a graduate and professional student center with meeting rooms, a lecture hall, and active-learning classrooms that serve the entire campus.

 

Design Philosophy

Walker Hall exemplifies the power of revitalization by transforming an abandoned into a vibrant academic and social center. The project preserves the character of the 1927 structure while introducing modern learning environments, symbolizing continuity between the university’s history and its forward-looking academic vision.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The original two-story north wing now houses student lounges, meeting areas, and offices. The three southern wings, formerly used for agricultural engineering workshops, have been repurposed into a lecture hall and two flexible classrooms. The redesign establishes a clear hierarchy between community spaces and academic functions, ensuring seamless movement through the building.

The project supports graduate students’ academic and personal growth with spaces for mentoring, advising, and social interaction. The flexible learning rooms integrate advanced media technologies, turning former machine shops into dynamic “toolboxes” for contemporary, interdisciplinary education.

 

 

Materials & Sustainability

Original structural elements such as steel trusses, concrete columns, and finishes were retained and highlighted. New facades, solar collectors, and steel shading devices express a dialogue between the industrial heritage of the building and its new sustainable identity.

The design responds to the hot, dry climate of California’s Central Valley with shaded openings and efficient systems. The building connects to the campus through visible transparency and sustainable performance, achieving LEED Platinum certification and zero net electricity use.

 

Collective Housing

The Illa Glòries project was conceived as a model of collective housing that prioritizes community, sustainability, and adaptability. The design aims to reinterpret the block typology of Barcelona, transforming it into a living framework where public and private domains coexist. The vision emphasizes inclusivity, ecological responsibility, and the creation of a contemporary urban identity while remaining rooted in the city’s heritage.

 

Spatial Organization

The housing complex is structured around a permeable block, where circulation routes and open spaces act as connectors rather than boundaries. The distribution of volumes frames internal courtyards and collective terraces, ensuring visual continuity and shared experiences between residents. Open galleries and common areas reinforce the sense of community while providing flexibility to adapt to evolving lifestyles.

The layout balances efficiency and diversity. Apartments are designed with modularity in mind, enabling various configurations and catering to different household structures. Shared amenities such as community rooms, rooftop gardens, and co-working spaces foster collaboration and social exchange. Circulation spaces are conceived not only as corridors but as extensions of the domestic environment.

 

Material Palette & Sustainability

The choice of materials reflects a balance between durability, economy, and environmental performance. Locally sourced brick and prefabricated concrete elements ensure robustness, while wooden details add warmth and tactility. The use of passive design strategies -such as natural ventilation, shading devices, and thermal mass- reduces energy demand, integrating sustainability at the core of the project.

 

 

Context Integration

Located in Barcelona’s Glòries district, the project strengthens the urban fabric by reactivating a site with new housing opportunities. The design maintains continuity with the city’s grid while introducing contemporary approaches that respond to current social and ecological challenges. The building not only provides homes but also fosters collective identity, anchoring itself as a catalyst for urban renewal and sustainable community living.

 

Multifunctional layout

Within the building complex of Colgate-Palmolive’s factory and offices in Piraeus, the 55-square-meter top floor has been transformed into a lounge and break area for employees. This break room was created by repurposing a previously unused and inactive section, now reactivated through a thoughtful architectural intervention and its new designated function.

 

Design Philosophy

The space includes a shared kitchen, a bar-style counter, and amphitheater-style seating, forming a hybrid environment that bridges the gap between a traditional office and a casual relaxation area (such as a café or restaurant). This multifunctional layout accommodates a range of uses, from informal meetings and coffee or lunch breaks to short calls or even remote work sessions for both employees and visitors.

Prior to the intervention, the area partly served as a circulation zone between vertical movement axes (stairs and elevator), without any provision for pausing or staying. The remaining part housed a spacious office, occasionally used by external collaborators. The primary goal of the architectural design was to create a dedicated break area for Colgate-Palmolive’s staff -an inviting, collaborative space that fosters team spirit and strengthens communication among different departments.

The redesign of this break room seeks to revitalize a previously neglected area, transforming it into a dynamic hub for social interaction, relaxation, and flexible work. The design respects the existing structure while emphasizing natural light, quality materials, and ergonomic principles. The result is a space that enhances the sense of community within the workplace and offers employees a modern, welcoming, and multifunctional retreat during the workday.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The architectural concept was developed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, a period when remote work had become the norm. As work models continue to evolve, the design aims to redefine how space and time are experienced in the workplace, responding to employees’ shifting needs throughout the day. The break room serves as a transitional, relaxing, and intimate space. Drawing from the familiarity of working from home, it offers a variety of settings to support different work modes. As a place of relief from the demands of daily tasks, the space is designed to support a sense of mental decompression. This is achieved architecturally through clean, minimalist lines, free of visual clutter, and further enhanced by ample natural light and materials that promote comfort -such as wood.

 

 

Materials & Custom Elements

The design incorporates a variety of seating options: bar seating for both standing and sitting, amphitheater-style seating for relaxed lounging, and a secluded single seat within the kitchen area. These options allow employees to personalize their break experience -whether they’re pausing briefly or settling in with a laptop for a longer stay- essentially bringing their workspace into the break room. The space is defined by a minimal, inviting, and vibrant aesthetic that balances functionality with contemporary design. Rather than erasing the existing environment, the new design works in harmony with it, using the current structure as a base for complementary rather than disruptive enhancements.

Key architectural features, such as the original red metal staircase and the bold blue window frames that define the building’s exterior, have been preserved and integrated into the new scheme. Against this backdrop, the design introduces balance by using white as a neutral canvas and incorporating dark blue in the flooring, metal shelving, and sound-absorbing panels that double as decorative wall elements. Warmth and a sense of familiarity are added through wooden finishes (on floors and cabinetry) and the use of earth-toned cushions and furnishings. A playful, refreshing touch is introduced through light blue tiles in the kitchen and bar areas -elements that serve both a practical function and contribute to the overall lightness and charm of the space’s “work zones.”

 

Urban catalyst

In 2019, the Dimnikcobau company organized an international competition to design the DCB business centre in the Moste industrial zone of Ljubljana. The project transcends the building’s functional character as an office space turning it into an urban catalyst, adding value to this suburban area which is historically linked to generic spaces for business and logistics.

 

Design Philosophy

The compact space of the new building, with the ground floor shaped like a rhomboid and 10 floors above ground level, is taller than neighboring buildings and dominates the landscape of the area. The diagonal displacement of the ground floor allows access to the central foyer consisting of a large atrium with a fluid shape and which goes up vertically to end in a skylight overhead. The atrium opens up to the exterior through two large windows that are the height of three levels, and which add a sculptural character to the space, allowing it to be bathed in natural light from two sides, as well as allowing views of the city’s outline and the mountainous Alpine scenery from its terraces.

The building has a ground level surface area of 12,556 m2 and 8,114 m2 below ground, occupied by three parking levels. The public area is located on the ground floor: a restaurant, a café, various meeting rooms, and a multifunctional gallery that can be used to host different events. The remaining nine levels are occupied with offices and common spaces. The central atrium coordinates the flow of people and maximizes the interaction between the different programs. Each level has four office modules that can be configured, combined or extended according to the requirements of the tenants.

 

 

Interior Layout and Façade

Both the covering of the interior and exterior facade seeks to dematerialize the volume mass by giving it a certain fragility and elegance. The exterior dark glass facade is covered with white brisesoleils sloping at different angles and placed at different progressions. While within the interior, the vertical foyer shaped around the atrium is covered with “L” and “Y” gilded anodized aluminum profiles whose tones change depending on the sun’s movements. The delicate treatment of the space and the surfaces, as well as the sensitive way that the detailing has been handled, have resulted in a building possessing high spatial richness at different scales.

 

 

Bioclimatic strategy

The central atrium, which crosses the building vertically, not only functions as a spatial axis, but also as a key element of its ventilation system. This space acts as a return duct for ventilation of the offices, extracting used air and pushing it upwards like a chimney. At the top of the atrium, an advanced climatic control system recovers the energy and humidity in the air before redistributing fresh air throughout the offices. The air conditioning system for the offices combines underfloor heating and cooling with low level individual fan coil units, which allows for accurate temperature control and guarantees maximum comfort for all users.

 

Industrial revival

The 160m² apartment, formerly a painting studio, now serves as a residence for a family of three. Located on the fourth floor of a building in the industrial zone of central Athens, the project was a significant transformation. The goal was to create a comfortable living space, involving the design of three bedrooms, a bathroom, generous storage solutions, and a unified communal area encompassing a kitchen, living room, dining space, and an office.

 

Layout Organization

The layout of the apartment was carefully planned to establish a central social hub. The communal area was strategically positioned, and at its core stands an open concrete fireplace. This fireplace serves as the heart of the residence, with the other functions thoughtfully arranged around it. Despite the spatial limitations, the design allows for a sense of free-flowing movement. The private spaces blend seamlessly with the communal areas, utilizing the available square footage efficiently, while ensuring there is enough room for both the kitchen and living area.

 

Custom Structures

The layout further facilitates the penetration of natural light through large openings, enhanced by the presence of industrial-style windows, creating intriguing plays of light and shadows. During the renovation, the existing infrastructure was removed, revealing the underlying structural framework. A distinctive feature of the space is the preserved mosaic floor, acting as a link to the apartment’s original purpose.

 

Materials & Furniture

In terms of materials, concrete and wood were the primary choices. The interior surfaces were thoughtfully clad with oak, which imparts a warm and inviting ambiance. In the kitchen area, ceramic tiles were employed, providing a contrast to the matte black surfaces, while adding an element of comfort. The children’s bedrooms were furnished with contrasting birch plywood, emphasizing clean, straightforward lines in their design. Despite the challenges posed by the layout, the project distinguishes itself through pronounced linearity and clean geometric forms, accentuated by the precise lines of the wooden structures incorporated into bookshelves and concealed storage spaces. The furniture selection adheres to a midcentury aesthetic, featuring vintage pieces that seamlessly complement the overall creative vision.

Bordering green

The project focuses on designing an all-day café within a 140m² corner shop located at a central point of the settlement, benefiting from views of tall deciduous trees on both sides, thus enhancing its ambiance.

 

Design Philosophy

The primary goal of the design is to create a seamless connection between the interior and the surrounding greenery by extending the visual lines outward to the natural environment and bringing “green” elements indoors. This approach aims to establish a “garden” that serves as a continuation of the urban vegetation.

 

Spatial Organization

The floor plan is centered around a large L-shaped bar that extends toward the corner near the openings. This design, combined with the installation of expansive glazed windows, maximizes the views, while seating is arranged freely within the café-bar across two levels: one at ground level and another one slightly elevated.

 

Custom Structures & Materials

A system of Π-shaped metal structures is incorporated to support greenery, with a similar hanging structure placed above the bar, adorned with lush climbing plants. The material palette is intentionally divided into two contrasting categories. The first includes natural and handcrafted elements, such as the cast mosaic of the bar, the floor mosaic, cement mortars on the walls, and wooden surfaces. The second consists of industrial materials, such as metal mesh and steel, used in the planting structures and the façade frames.

 

Lighting Design

The lighting is designed to emphasize the interior greenery, creating, in parallel, a distinct ambiance. More specifically, the careful light installation enhances the industrial character of the project, offering a unique experience, especially at nighttime.

Architectural densities

The project is a 42,725m2 multifamily housing building, which embodies a harmonious assembly of functional spaces, intricate structures, premium materials and custom-made furniture.

 

Design Philosophy

Located in the vicinity of the Pedregal de San Ángel Ecological Reserve, the housing complex not only recognizes the environmental value of the area by integrating itself to the already developed periphery that surrounds it, but also compliments the modernist architecture of the National Autonomous University of Mexico central campus as well as the industrial past of the San Ángel and Loreto neighbourhoods. The architectural forms vary in density, constructing an interplay between solids and voids and framing panoramic views of the immediate landscape. The building acts as a reference to the area’s industrial and cultural heritage becoming seamlessly integrated to El Pedregal’s history.

 

Architectural Morphology & Layout

The complex includes 14 floors, 112 apartments -in 18 different typologies from 90m2 to 300m2 -as well as an array of open spaces, recreation and circulation areas and the lobby. The building morphology is made of complex curves and vertical elements that form both interior and exterior spaces, which construct a unique urban complex that benefits the area at a social, environmental as well as cultural scale.

 

Material Palette & Context Integration

The materials and finishes are comprised of raw concrete, aluminium and glass, which -along with excellent structural engineering design- assemble an elegant structure with harmonious proportions amongst public and private spaces. In response to the physical and natural context, the project takes into consideration the access points, sidewalks, bays and lobbies adjacent to public space, carefully integrating them into the city’s urban fabric. Finally, the complex’s basement is made out of natural stone and is planted with local vegetation.

Glass peninsula

Located on one of California’s last remaining undeveloped coastal areas, this modern guest house resides on a wildlife preserve, exemplifying a successful balance of residential development and ecological preservation.

 

Landscape Integration

Nestled into a steep hillside, the 170m2 residence was designed for low visual and environmental impact on the surrounding landscape. Designed as a low-rise, single-story building with a green roof, the house invites panoramic 360-degree views of the Pacific Ocean as well as the adjacent hills. Its most prominent design feature is a series of expansive decks that cantilever over the steep cliff, providing a direct view of the canyon below.

 

 

Morphology & Materials

In an effort to blur the line between the built and the unbuilt, the residence is designed as a “glass peninsula”, with three-way operable glass walls that seamlessly integrate the building into the landscape. The material palette is comprised of highly weather resistant materials such as steel, concrete and glass, while the custom furniture and fixtures are made of warm walnut wood.

 

 

Energy Performance

The residence is 100% powered by a photovoltaic energy system, due to its remote, off-grid location. LED lighting and low-usage appliances are selected to reduce energy demands, while a combination of radiant floor heating, cross ventilation and the highly insulated green roof regulate the interior temperature. Finally, a private well and a custom water treatment system are used to recycle rain and wastewater.

 

Urban impact

The hotel is located in the Plaza Saltillo neighborhood and includes eighty-three rooms situated within a five-story, L-shaped tower and an adjoining two-story podium which houses two restaurants, three bars, a coffee shop, leasable street-side retail space and a parking lot.

 

Design Philosophy

The project’s philosophy questions the established luxury hotel “requirements”: the grand entry, the hotel restaurant and the spacious -albeit regularly empty- lobby. Instead, the design features a dynamic, functional layout inspired by the material typologies of the surrounding 1920s warehouses as well as the masonry and concrete construction found at Huston Tillotson University, a facility situated next to the project. The resulting building becomes a synergy between high-quality architecture and cost-conscious design strategies.

 

Façade Morphology & Materials

The facade morphology acts as a playful response to the area’s construction regulations, in which buildings longer than 30m should include, at least, 0.6m by 6m overhangs. As a result, the design employs a series of articulated concrete “ribbons,” formulating long awnings, protected overhangs and corner balconies for hotel guests. The discrete horizontal lines made of concrete are interrupted by a series of carefully selected materials in shades of black.

 

Contextual Design

The ground floor includes a mix of restaurants situated adjacent to a low-rise brick building with great historical significance. The existing structure is preserved, featuring a bar and a restaurant, and connects to the new addition via the kitchen space. By referencing the architectural language still present in East Austin’s built environment, the project becomes a powerful and original response to an urban context comprised of largely homogenized residential buildings.