Unicorn Stores HQ by Bean Buro

Unicorn Retailers (HK) Ltd. was proven in 1985 to run a chain of section stores and supermarkets from Japan in Hong Kong, with a mission to produce “high-quality, honest and courteous services of a division retailer from Japan to customers”. Bean Buro was tasked with coming up with their headquarters which has distinctive wants to retail outlet and critique samples.

The Narrative: A modernised courteous office
We translated Unicorn Stores’ corporation ethos as a incredibly typical and courteous workplace for the workers. We served them shift from a classic workplace set up to a contemporary workplace that is substantially much more sociable for collaborations though currently being comfortable and relaxing. The style and design utilises numerous subtle Japanese aspects as inspiration.

The Method: Infusing Japanese roots into the interior
We researched conventional Japanese architecture and translated the suggestions into very simple timber joinery to produce different bespoke features, these kinds of as the reception desk, a gridded ceiling lighting method, and Japanese partition screens. Other Japanese inspirations involve the use of a ‘noren’ – classic dividers made of normal fabric, typically hung in doorways and involving rooms, and playful Japanese motifs in the graphic layout and signages.

The Resolution: An open up and built-in neighbourhood
The entrance and reception lobby has been lined in timber to create a warm and welcoming ambiance with seating booths which can be applied by people and personnel alike in a cosy environment. The typical office is an open up system, a person significant connecting neighbourhood with many shared home furniture integrated. Enclosed meeting rooms are located in the main of the workplace with glass partitions to preserve visible connections and crops are included into all the windowsills.

Instead than enclosed offices for the departmental heads, they are as a substitute connected to the staff as section of the open up prepare when nevertheless retaining a stage of privateness by the use of a series of bespoke acoustic partition screens with a tailor made textile design. The pantry is an informal space for the staff members to unwind with versatile café seating. The region also has pegged walls for sharing neighborhood info. Roller blinds are utilized together the pantry home windows and support to reinforce the identity of the workplace through tailor made graphic style.

The Materials: Neutral naturals with playful accents
The palette is predominantly timber and white for the architectural surfaces. Several accents are produced in the materials, including the use of a gradient fluted glass for the partitions of the collaboration booths, playful geometry this kind of as arcs and circles in red—an interpretation of the brand—and other refined uses of colors and graphics on the glass and acoustic partitions. Purple coloured grout is also used for the tiles in the pantry area to further inject the brand’s id into the style and design.

We situated the typical get the job done neighbourhood to be near the home windows for sufficient pure daylight, and the assembly rooms in the core with an ethereal lights design, to make certain excessive artificial lights is not demanded. For instance, the many wall acoustic panels with backlighting support to strengthen the legibility of the rear walls of the house. Carpets have been used in all enclosed assembly rooms and vegetation have been integrated into the joinery design. We also specified reduced VOC paint and veneer laminates.

The Problem: A delicate balancing act
The obstacle in conditions of style was placing a fragile balance of making a pretty potent business id through the use of colours, gentry, signages and however ensuring the place of work is a comfy and calming perform setting. For example, we employed vivid colors in the entrance of residence reception and the pantry locations to encourage strength for heightened social interactions but stored all the common workspaces pretty neutral utilizing purely natural products. The outcome is a workplace that embraces social, collaborative, and versatile doing work.

Bean Buro staff: Lorène Faure, Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui, Christina Standaloft, Isabelle Gin, Savannah Wilkins Client: Unicorn Stores Major contractor: Ingredient Technologies & Supplies Ltd.