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Anti Chamber, a comfortable space to work long office hours

Keng-Fu Lo

Interior  /  Completed
Keng-Fu Lo
This office is located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Like most Asian countries, employees tend to work long office hours and require a comfortable space from which to do so. The client told us that they wanted a drastic redesign of the second floor to improve the overall efficiency of the space. The challenge was that we were stuck within the limitations of the external structure. It lets in far too little natural light.
The new office space provides a social center with various meeting spaces and a lecture hall that supports simultaneous language translation. In addition, it integrates the office area of the financial accounting department and the investment department to provide a more efficient service for the entire office.
All of the work spaces were built around the conference rooms which meant there was no unnecessary traffic or additionally disturbances in any particular area. The glass compartments take into account the privacy of employees in the space. These spaces are accentuated by use of artificial light to provide vibrancy to the occupants.
The poor natural lighting was supplemented with plentiful artificial lighting to improve the energy of the spaces. The unique furniture was chosen to steer away from the typical image of an office and provide visual interest to the employees. The sound absorbing material on the ceiling absorbs as much of the excess noise as possible. The lack of windows in the building space, and the numerous internal cubicles, interfere with the flow of air and create humidity issues. This was solved by the careful selection of ceramic tiles to help alleviate humidity and noise.
Due to the encompassing nature of the building facade, the use of natural light sources in the flat space is insufficient. It is necessary to rely on artificial light sources for space lighting. Looking closer at the lighting, they have a unique organic shape to blend in with the earthen colors of the office. The privacy and collaborative ability of large flat-floor office spaces often change due to the natural light sources of the building. In this case, the use of gray, a low-reflective material, helps reduce the diffusion of light sources. This means there is less disruption from exterior light during the office day. The color of the materials is mainly based on the earthen color palette. The space is comprised of bare brick walls, a rough-polished metal ceiling, clear glass cubicles and a translucent U-shaped glass. The materials chosen for the office space are the best choice for privacy and interoperability of the fluid space, presenting a minimalist and elegant new living space.

Credits

 Kaohsiung City
 Taiwan
 Confidential
 10/2019
 1864 m2
 Keng-Fu Lo
 Keng-Fu Lo

Curriculum

Ken Lo is a well-known architect operating a boutique firm in the south of Taiwan. While having no formal training in architecture, in a relatively short time he has managed to assemble an impressive array of projects that have won numerous awards. These days his projects are all energy-saving green buildings. This means that all his buildings ensure adequate ventilation and airflow to minimize the need for extra cooling. Within a building, the interweaving of natural light and artificial light provides a sense of stability in the indoor environment. Mr. Lo's relationship with the green environment, architecture and interior space are all presented in his work. This bears similarities between people, life and living space. The thread of nature is something that he has held dear throughout his life and is something he hopes to carry forward into the future.

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