This project was designed for a construction and interior design company, creating an unusual situation in which the design was constructed by the client.

Their new offices were planned and completed in 2014. The offices are located on the fifth floor of a building overlooking the woods of Chapultepec Park in Mexico City, and the core design premise was to make the most of the commanding views. After visiting the offices the design team found inspiration in the woods and surrounding vegetation as the main features to be highlighted in the project and in the color palette.

The building presented a very interesting challenge: the irregularly shaped 200-square-meter floor plans imposed many restrictions on the interiors. No suspended ceilings were allowed, and the metal and glass façades and concrete walls could not be perforated or altered. The entire interior space had to be self-supporting and a solution was needed to conceal the installations under the floor or within the structure. The client requested that all users should have natural lighting and ventilation, and that every work station should be in the same, open-plan area to encourage teamwork. No closed spaces or doors exist apart from in the washroom areas.

Wooden partitions and metal and glass frames divide the space, and are not connected to the concrete slabs, creating a free-flowing and open sensation while still demarcating the areas by their different uses. The space had to reflect the type of work carried out by the company, so it could be used as a showcase for potential clients. Simple and timeless materials such as wood, metal and stone were used for the finishes, combined with the green of the vegetation visible through the main façade. The result has been welcomed by users of the space who have offices without doors that are well-lit and comfortable to work in. Air-conditioning was not required as the interior temperature and ventilation are regulated by windows and shades.

Design: Taller Leticia Serrano / Leticia Serrano, Alejandra Barnetche, Brenda Ochoa, Karen Kimura and Mariana Sandoval
Photography: Pedro Hiriart