Office 31 by Sandro Clemes

Office 31 is a project completed by Sandro Clemes.

It consists of a corporate office-lounge located in Florianopolis, Brazil.

Office 31 by Sandro Clemes:

“Synopsis
Office 31 A corporate space to receive clients and develop activities in groups, intended for creative professionals that adopt a variety of theoretical frameworks and aesthetics in the preparation of their projects. It is an environment that visits the past, but dialogues with the present time and with the urban culture into which it is inserted, combining top automated technology with contemporary-retro style.

Concept
A corporate environment intended for a professional that works in the area of creation and develops group activities. The project seeks to combine important aspects of business life, such as practicality, organization, and functionality, with personalization, hosting, and the typical comforts of home.

The space, which has a cubic form, hosts a contemporary-retro setting, mixing current design pieces with those from the 1950s and 1960s, complemented by an industrial lighting aesthetic and a careful selection of art works produced by a generation of young local artists.

The back wall of the space is covered in techno cement, a material that refers to concrete in its brut state, very present in the modernist and brutalist architectures, which served as compositional references. The sidewalls and ceiling are white, and the fascia above the front glassed received black matt paint on its inward facing side.

To this neutral base, two typical elements of corporate spaces were added: the carpet floor, which gives a greater acoustic and thermal efficiency to the space; and the aluminum blinds, which, with their practicality and clean design, cover the pane glass. However, these items appear in remarkable contemporary versions. The blinds are black and have larger than usual slats (70mm), which make them more robust and visually outstanding. The cut pile carpet, in nylon with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal treatment applied, brings the heat from the red into the setting and breaks with its initial sobriety. A practical detail: the carpet is loose on the subfloor, like a rug, and not affixed, as is the custom, which makes its removal for a deeper cleaning easier.

The layout, totally flexible as it is composed of freestanding furniture (including a large bookcase), was organized in two main sections: lounge and meeting room. In the lounge – a reception room -, eclectic furniture in tones of white, gray, and black that include a sofa of simple linen forms and metallic feet; a “Smooth” design armchair from Eduardo Bortolai (from Sao Paulo); a sixties ottoman from Percival Lafer; and a wood and glass side table and a central table with metal base and white cement top designed by Sandro Clemes. All tied-together by the large floor lamp of retro-industrial design, this scene “frames” the visual arts collection with works in various techniques, such as photography, woodcut, ink on paper, acrylic on canvas, calligraphy, and poster (street art).

In the meeting section, the main table with lacquered metal base and natural freijo top holds four to six places, and received vintage 1950s chairs with rosewood frame and white leather upholstery. Beside it, also serving as support, lays a large volume horizontal bookcase, composed of 64 identical niches, of MDF with black automotive paint; a buffet of demolition wood equipped with mini-fridge, audio-visual system, a small countertop of glass and metal for computer/tablet, and a comfortable Flexform swivel chair. Above the bookcase, which holds a vast literary collection, like a library, the polyptych signed by Camila Petersen refers to the urban layout formed by streets, bridges, viaducts, squares, and buildings. Moreover, together with the parsiana, a slim stainless steel bench with gray cashmere lining serves as extra seating to the layout’s two sections.

The space’s lighting, overlaid on the suspended ceiling, uses electrified tracks for their industrial and versatile aspect (each spot moves and turns on the track, allowing for constant and quick changes), and still relies on two impact pieces: a set of mirrored pendants over the meeting table and a large stainless steel lamp in the living room, 2.2m (7.2ft) tall.

Despite the retro footprint, the office has a complete and extremely up-to-date automation system, allowing for the control of lighting, audio, video, temperature, blinds, and security system, assuring the comfort and practicality demanded by all of today’s corporate spaces.”

Photos courtesy of Mariana Boro|ACASAA & Renato Turnes