Snøhetta arranges "unconventional" finance office around stepped wooden amphitheatre
A multipurpose forum featuring tiered seating elements forms the centrepiece of this office designed by architecture studio Snøhetta for a finance consultancy in Taichung, Taiwan.
Snøhetta was awarded the project by Good Finance following an invited competition that called for a radical departure from the more structured, task-oriented offices typical in the finance sector.
The studio responded with a proposal that transforms the 800-square-metre space on the 32nd floor of The Landmark skyscraper into a flexible, people-centred workspace.
"Good Finance envisioned an office interior that represented their company values for its new branch office in Taichung," Snøhetta told Dezeen.
"We created a space that is not the typical, conventional office common in the industry. Instead, it is an open, inclusive environment that prioritises dialogue, sharing and collaboration."
A linear corridor leads from the office's entrance to a forum-like space at the centre of the office, which provides a multifunctional area for daily breakout sessions or for hosting events.
The forum features custom-designed wooden seating elements that vary in height to facilitate different forms of social interactions and ways of sitting.
One side of the space functions primarily as a stage with a large LED screen in the background, while the other side contains loosely organised auditorium-style seating.
"From the beginning, we imagined the forum as a playground," the studio explained.
"An urban square, a pause, a comfortable and familiar freshness. A space for quiet time alone, for small discussions or for a 50-person lecture."
Existing structural elements defined the edges of the forum, with a pair of angled trusses framing the entrance to this dynamic and adaptable arena.
The rest of the office's programme transitions from public to private as it extends outwards from the central space, while a circular walkway promotes chance encounters and conversations between colleagues.
The first ring contains an informal working and seating zone lined with custom bookshelves, along with workstations arranged in a semi-circular configuration.
The second ring contains a bar and cafeteria that is flanked by semi-private meeting areas furnished with sofas and armchairs to give them a lounge-like feel.
Fully enclosed meeting rooms located in the four corners of the perimeter are lined with fluted glass partitions that diffuse daylight, allowing it to penetrate as far as the forum.
The material palette shifts from warm timber tones at the centre to cooler metallic and glass finishes that bring a contemporary feel to the work areas.
Sleek, reflective elements such as the reception desk, bar counter and bookshelves are contrasted by the inclusion of internal planting and upholstered seating.
According to the studio, the project represents an alternative to typical office fit-outs that balances transparency and openness with the discretion and professionalism required in the finance sector.
"The Good Finance workspace is designed with people at its heart, and not specifically as a finance office," the studio added. "It is more than an office; it is a space for its employees, its guests, its visitors, its neighbours – it is a space for dreamers."
Recent projects by Snøhetta include a theatre with an undulating glass facade in Australia and a metro station in Saudi Arabia topped with a curving, mirrored canopy.
The photography is courtesy of Snøhetta.
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