In Shenzhen, CATS realized a new R&D headquarters for NewRadioTech. The company is at the forefront of China's IC technology research and development. However, the homogeneity and mediocrity of its built environment is not fitting the vitality and forward-looking nature of the new technology industry. This time, CATS intend to rethink the work space - through precise design and build - to achieve a type of work environment that is fresher and more contemporary.

 

Windmill Workstation Unit (WWU)

 

We started with the basic element of work space, proposing a new kind of workstation unit in the shape of a windmill cross. Standard desks, of a 0.7x1.6m overall size, are set as a unit of four. Situated in such manner, co-workers in the same unit may communicate more freely, without being blocked by other desks or screens. At the same time, each workstation has enough semi-private space of its own. Very unlike the conventional parallelly-arranged rows of workstations, the WWU brings together the individual need of focus with the communicative nature of collaboration.

 

Such features bring about a good opportunity to maximize a sense of openness and freeness - a large space where everyone can move around at will. Every place is both visible and accessible, and every workstation has a relatively good view of the external scenes. It is also possible to keep the perimeter of the floor plate as an open and continuous route, almost like a ‘walking loop’.

 

The partitions that divides the cubicles follows the revolving layout of the workstations. The twisting rhythm of the rows of cubicles gives each room its own unique view of the external scenes.

 

Variable Column Devices

 

It can be understood from the plan that in the original state, the regular layout of structural columns – and their super large cross-section member sizes - seems to have determined a pretty fixed and repetitive spatial division.

 

However, similar to the way we rethink the workstation system, we also try to subvert the conventional way in which structural columns are treated so negatively. We functionally customize each column in the open space. One "device", multiple functionalities. Combined with the attachment of cubicles and phonebooths, we add purposed shaped desks, providing a variety of discussion zones within the densely occupied office areas.