Representative office of the largest Russian IT-company, Yandex in Kazan, is situated on the 16th floor of «Suvar Plaza» business center. With the area of 647 sq.m. it has only 41 working place. The office plan reminds a trapezium, while the midline of a trapezium is a corridor, leading from the main entrance to the fire exit.

The office volumes are organized in a corridor system – both side of the corridor has 4 open space blocks, designed for 6-13 working places. There is also a separate server zone, which borders with a storage and IT-administrator’s office. Front-office volumes are located close to the main entrance – there is a reception desk, two meeting rooms, lecture-hall and canteen.

Next there are working places and the chief’s office, which looks like a glass polygonal lamp, that functions as a zoning element, partially separating two nearest open spaces. If it is necessary, the chief’s office may be isolated with curtains. Beyond that, matted glass panels are used as design element. At the end of the corridor there are gym and shower area.

To make the working areas more comfortable, the lighting estimations have been made, to correctly organize lighting, and the ceilings have been sheeted with Ecophon acoustic panels, which have sound-absorbing qualities. Traditionally Yandex offices are famous for their informal rooms – unique semi-closed «cells», isolated from the corridor volume. In this office, the architects used rounded shapes and industrial carpet, which covers thoroughly the inside area of the two «cells».

Outside they are white, as well as lines of communication up across the ceiling, which gives an effective contrast to black wooden floors. The only intensive colours in the office, different from neutral monochrome colors, is a contrasting color scheme of terracotta-green, which was used repeatedly in textile and furnishings.

Designed by za bor Architects
Photographs: Peter Zaytsev

http://www.archdaily.com/240772/kazan-yandex-office-za-bor-architects/