The Grund! is a creative agency that does branding, campaign planning, social media and general communication. Their goal was to create a friendly, transparent, light office in an environment that is both practical and inspirational.
For us it was important to develop a space free from the usual advertising agency clichés and typical corporate vibe and instead to create a New York or Berlin start-up atmosphere here in Budapest.
Keeping in mind the building’s original features, and working with the foot print of the existing panel house, we created a total of 230 square meters floor space, with community spaces, retreat offices, a meeting room, and a dining-kitchen.
Functional glass walls allow the space to be divided while still keeping the entire office connected and full of light. When designing the space and planning the lighting of the premises, we kept in mind that we needed to create a community space that motivates people to think together.
We worked with local craftsman to create most of the lighting fixtures and furniture too. All of the lights were custom made and most of the office chairs were “recycled” as we modified and modernized used classics and gave them a fresh contemporary makeover.
The end result is a youthful inspirational space that provides the comfortable and homey backdrop for collaborative creative work.
What makes this project one-of-a-kind?
Alchemists created an atmosphere like a home; we created a spotlighted, comfortable environment with custom made spotlights so that the environment feels much more like a house than an office. Additionally, almost all of the furniture was also custom-made rather than purchased from a typical office furniture store.
About the authors
The Alchemists is a small architecture and interior design firm that was originally based in Buenos Aires, but for the past 5 years, has been operating from Budapest.
We like to bring out the potential in places and objects and to use existing elements in a new fresh way. We take our inspiration from the ordinary and breathe new life into objects and spaces by adapting them to achieve balance and equilibrium by juxtaposing the old with the new, the plain with the fancy, the rough with the smooth…we are experts at doing transformations from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Text provided by the authors of the project.
Credits
Interior
Zsolt Juhász Buday; The Alchemists
Client
GRUND Communacation and Creativ Agency
Year of completion
2017
Location
Budapest, Hungary
Total area
230 m2
Photos
Bálint Jaksa
Project Partners
OK Atelier s.r.o., MALANG s.r.o.
