The PolyCuboid is the new headquarter building for TIA, a company that provides insurance services.
The volume is composed of an interlace of three major cuboid shapes creating intersections, voids, and space units. The cuboids superposition across each other also allows a richer space syntax including interior and exterior terraces, an atrium, several seating spaces, and a clear yet richer functional distribution of spaces and connections. Bridges also connect the cuboids from inside allowing a dynamic overview of the different spaces.
The first floor was shaped by the limits of the site and a ø700mm water pipe that is crossing the site underground limiting foundation space to half the land area. The middle volume stretching from 2nd to 3rd floor extends in cantilevers on both sides allowing the building to gain precious square meters.
Functionally, a furnished reception and meeting space together with 6 private desks and an office space occupy the ground floor. The workspace continues the next level with a conference room, CEO’s room, and second office space. This floor is separated into two areas by deferent floor levels with the lower one dedicated to resting spaces including a kitchen, a table terrace giving on the atrium and counter space. The third and fourth floors are dedicated to recreation with various spaces such as a training room, dining space with a roof terrace and even a piano space giving on the atrium. The staircase stretches from 1st to 4th level along the Atrium, although this last only reaches the third floor. The elevator block, however, is the highest cuboid volume and was claded in reflective black differently to the white cladding on all other volumes. Both the Black and white part was accomplished using composite reflective panels called Miraiya that gives the first impression of a smooth façade line and accentuate the sharp looks of the building. The ceilings and roofs of the parts stretching out were all set to level with the ceilings and floors of the inside to create a continuity of each block. The metallic structure had to follow gymnastic adjustments to be able to host such visually simple yet technically complex alignment.
The metallic structure of the building dissolves into the diverse blocs of the composition. The pillars and beams vanish from the space syntax, projecting the impression of an object, while also eliminating that of a building. The volumetric design is inspired by TIA’s Logo turning the building itself into an icon representing the company.
Established in 1976, Matsuya-Art-Works is a four decades experienced company acting in the architecture, design and construction industries. The company has a wide range of building types in the portfolio, though specialized in the commercial projects. Matsuya-Art-Works conducts projects according to the client’s business strategy and materializes it into an interior space or a completed building. Its mission is extended beyond the reception of the finalized project to guarantee a good functioning of the business. The KTX archiLAB was founded in 2006 to sustain this activity by producing high quality designs. The Japanese based company has received numerous local and international awards for its projects conducted both in Japan and foreign countries.