Ioanna Vlachaki

The studio was tasked with designing a 300 m2, two-story office space for  VISIOTEC, a  tech company based in Athens. The ultimate objective was to create a space that reflects the company’s tech-savvy, fresh, and minimal identity and innovative products. Hence, through the configuration and spatial design, the color palette, the materials, the design objects and tailored solutions throughout, the studio managed to set a new benchmark for a contemporary workplace that fosters collaboration and optimizes workflow in a clean, yet playful manner.

The spatial layout was meticulously curated to accommodate the diverse needs of the office and focused on the flow and separation of spaces, which include the CEO’s quarters, meeting rooms, exhibition areas, customer reception zones, and dedicated spaces for technical staff. The dynamic interplay of solid volumes, curved forms, and geometric shapes defined the spatial narrative, fostering an environment that is both welcoming and visually stimulating.  One of the most prominent features of the space is the eco-friendly linoleum flooring in two colors, which serves as a delineation of the office, while also separating spaces according to their intended function, all while maintaining a smooth traffic flow. A grid-patterned floor separates the reception area and sitting room from the exhibition area, and delimits the space of each product. Glass facades preserve the natural light and encompass the meeting room and office spaces which are separated by polycarbonate partitions, ensuring privacy without compromising the sense of openness and transparency. The reception area is separated from the technical staff area by two polycarbonate doors. The CEO’s office, a meeting room, and customers’ sitting area are located on the upper floor, and the workshops, warehouses, W.C., and kitchen areas are situated in the basement. 

The studio opted for a color palette consisting of off-white, light beige, and grey tones for the entire space, including the custom furniture. The palette served as a canvas for a subtle expression of the brand’s identity, which was echoed through splashes of vibrant colors integrated into the flooring and furniture elements. Utilizing a blend of industrial elements and refined finishes, the studio exemplified the brand’s identity micro and macroscopically. The materiality of the structural and design elements and custom furniture concentrates on galvanized and perforated steel, polycarbonate, and glass, with fine finishes of lacquered wood, often multicolored, visible details of MDF and linoleum. A delicate balance between innovation and functionality is achieved through the combination and contrast of clean lines and subtle curves, curved and squared elements, raw and industrial materials, and volumes and voids.

The pièce de résistance is a huge metal lighting sculptural installation that encompasses a digital display of the brand’s visual identity and products and is located in the center of the exhibition space. This sculptural intervention’s striking height draws the eye upwards, enhancing the cohesive aesthetic of the space and echoing the three-dimensionality of the space’s overall design praxeology. 

Athens, 2024