Tell us about the workspace at the Neighbourhood. The main architectural design was carried out in collaboration with Dan Newport at Re-Form Architects. With the fantastic raw canvas of a 19th-century grade II listed building, and like a neighborhood in any city, there are a number of colliding influences and eras. Architecturally, we wanted to express clearly the distinction between new and old.

Were there special considerations that influenced the way the space is set up? Any particular obstacles to overcome? 24 Lever Street was pretty much in ruin after a fire destroyed a neighboring building in 2007, so the initial obstacles were simply to get the building to a viable, habitable state.

As the building is grade II listed, there were also several restrictions on what we could and could not do internally — for instance, the walls that had to be preserved. We wanted to respect and re-use as many of the original artifacts that we could, and reinterpret them in a contemporary setting. So, for example, we’ve reused many of the old-fashioned “front doors” found in the building in our meeting rooms (christened “Pie, Chips, and Peas” — a famous northern English trio) and mounted them in a simple glass wall.

Getting power and data around the space in a sensitive way was challenging. Embedding cables in the floor was not an option, and with great north-lights in the vaulted roof, we didn’t want to interfere with the lines with galvanized cable trays. So, we utilized an intricate network of galvanized air conditioning ducting to contain the 4 kilometers of cabling which needs to travel around the studio, hanging these from the primary beams.

As a creative company, it’s vital that we have an inspiring, and challenging, environment — with quirks, and stories embedded within our walls.

See more of the move into The Neighbourhood here — and get the look in your own workspace by starting with our Aeron chair.

The Amsterdam offices of BrandBase were designed by the locals at MOST Architecture. The solution needed was in tended to be temporary which meant MOST was challenged to design a space that would ultimately be dismantled later on. Their solution was to use a recyclable product which could be reused for another purpose once the space is changed.

The result is an amorphous and sculptural installation that not only creates multiple desks but also an elevated floor along with staggered seating throughout. Glass sheets are used atop the desk surface to provide a smooth, splinter-free worktop. We love the neutral color the pallets give the space, creating a modern yet warm and inviting atmosphere. The pièce de résistance, however, is the main staircase that looks like a cascade of pallets pouring from the top floor down. The form is playful and organic. We could definitely see ourselves working in an office environment like this. And of course, we can all appreciate the fact that when it’s all said and done, these crates can continue their lives being shipped all around the world and nothing needs to be wasted.

By Mike Tyson.

[via Contemporist]