VOX Architects has designed the new offices for software company SKB Kontur, located in Yekaterinburg, Russia. SKB Kontur is one of the largest IT developers in Russia. Company develops software for accounting and business management. SKB Kontur enables business to simplify interaction with authorities and contractors and to make internal processes transparent. Company owned several office units in different parts of the Ekaterinburg city, which significantly complicated the internal work processes.

As a result, it was decided to build its own complex of buildings with the big external recreation area, space where employees could feel themselves as comfortable as possible. For the new 11 level building of IT company Kontur, design studio VOX Architects developed an iconic brutal youth style interior with intuitive internal navigation, expressive and clear color code for zoning and floor levels. In a way, self-isolated building is located outside of the city with no access to city services.

Never the less the new complex of buildings provides all required functions for the day to day life of employers, covers fully wide needs of big company. New work space combine and integrate previously disposed in different parts of the city business units. It includes conference hall, sportive places, libraries, study rooms, different coffees, canteen and bar. Multifunctional conference hall can be transformed according to the need to different space like lecture hall, banquet or F&B event, simultaneous presentations etc.

Each floor is equipped with its own meeting rooms-cafeteria, telephone booths, individual lockers for employee’s belongings and areas for Scrum & Kanban (software development methodologies, related to the need for frequent meetings, preparation of reports and scheduling). The installation of fire-rated 4-meter sliding door in portals, instead of the standard size doors permitted to transform building with the long corridors into the united continuous space with a better flow.

Where as a core elements implemented open space with a small area for private work, small meeting rooms for two or four persons and silence rooms. Architects used simple natural materials – birch plywood, concrete wall finishing, felt, combined with metal ceilings and resin flooring. This allowed to create an inspiring freedom that “explodes” the daily office routine and makes the space more free, offer it certain mobility with the possibility to adapt easily to a new targets, have a comfortable surrounding for efficient work.

Bar in English style with a wooden wall panels – the only place in the building where alcohol is served. Acoustics solutions play an important role in the project. Active usage of materials such as felt and sound absorbing panels from wooden fiber, painted in different colors, suspended acoustic systems, acoustic curtains etc. gave an additional level of comfort. All greenery in the office is organic that was principled stand of the client.

Designer: Boris Voskoboynikov, Maria Akhremenkova, Julia Noskova, Andrey Koskov / VOX Architects
Photography: Sergey Ananiev

https://officesnapshots.com/2018/01/25/skb-kontur-offices-yekaterinburg/