DOW's Offices Redesign | ARQUID Architecture

DOW's new offices in Antwerp, Belgium, stand as a testament to the brand's innovative DNA, a challenge taken up by the ARQUID architectural firm with a strong emphasis on technology and the creation of unique, tailored solutions. Designing this workspace entailed overcoming various hurdles, including the dual role of serving as a showroom and a 'customer experience' hub for the brand, where practical demonstrations of materials and solutions are provided to visiting clients. Simultaneously, it needed to function as an efficient workplace for its employees, all while ensuring their comfort and productivity remain uncompromised.

The outcome is a cutting-edge workspace spanning approximately 1,000 square meters, accommodating around 55 employees, with a central focus on enhancing the user experience. The space seamlessly integrates the brand's corporate values and the culture of DOW to effectively showcase its extensive product range. It offers a variety of settings accessible to both the internal team and external collaborators, allowing clients to visualize the brand's solutions within their own working environment. 

The inception of the new office spaces came about when DOW recognized the limitations of their previous workspace due to the company's rapid growth. This prompted them to seek a new location while capitalizing on the opportunity to address and enhance the aspects that were lacking in their former office. In the process of ideation and inspiration, ARQUID and DOW collaborated closely to craft solutions that would effectively address the everyday challenges faced by the team. Employees of the company actively contributed by outlining their practical needs, which included requirements such as meeting or concentration rooms, personalized climate control for different areas, soundproofing, and ambient noise management in various shared and transitional spaces, among other issues.

Faced with the need to craft a truly personalized space, ARQUID initiated a creative working methodology to facilitate the exchange of a wide array of proposals and ideas, all in pursuit of the perfect design. Beginning with the initial brainstorming session that involved all team members, and extending to the development of various alternatives and proposals, the focus remained on finding original, productive, and sustainable solutions to meet the challenges presented by DOW. In close collaboration with the brand, these proposals were meticulously reviewed and the objective was to build a space that would elicit a WOW effect for the client while fostering a CALM atmosphere for the employees.

The most substantial challenge? Creating that WOW effect for clients; designing a space where they could experience and interact with the brand, all the while ensuring the comfort and productivity of the employees who shared the same workspace. With this in mind, ARQUID proposed and executed unconventional solutions to achieve the necessary acoustic insulation in meeting rooms and common areas. They aimed for an open space that was as quiet as possible, harmoniously accommodating both client visits and the daily work of the team.

This challenge was tackled by designing and constructing a space that followed a guided path, creating a dynamic flow throughout the office. This unique journey led the client through the entire space as if they were on a guided tour.

The ceiling played a pivotal role in guiding this journey, employing lattice structures to project the path to follow without imposing a fixed boundary. Some of these lattices were complemented by 2.75-meter-high glass partitions, either transparent or translucent, allowing natural light to permeate the entire route while preserving sound insulation and privacy for the workers. 

DOW's offices are a prime example of creativity, with every aspect meticulously designed to meet specific needs. Yet, one of the most formidable challenges was adapting the project to the constraints of the rented building. The owners allowed for a fit-out of the space, but critical structural elements, such as the radiant heating, cooling ceiling or the flooring, could not be altered. These limitations posed a significant challenge since the project's core concept revolves around the ceiling's ability to organize the space and guide movement.

For the flooring, a technical floor system was employed, onto which square carpet tiles were laid to ensure both acoustic insulation and comfort. This was complemented by the use of red and burgundy vinyl triangles to demarcate distinct zones. Vinyl materials were chosen for their exceptional properties and durability, safeguarding against mold, bacteria, and stubborn stains, while also providing effective insulation due to a substantial 5mm thickness.

The project is structured around distinct flows that intuitively guide visitors without the need for detailed explanations, ensuring a seamless customer experience. This journey harmonizes with DOW's corporate image, employing creative techniques like dematerialization, deformation, stretching, and playful manipulation of elements to achieve the final visual identity.

The spaces are thoughtfully organized into distinct main areas. On one side, we find the open workspaces, defined by wooden ceilings and furnished with soft-toned furniture, sofas, and desks. This design is aimed at reflecting light and creating a warm atmosphere that encourages productive harmony.

On the other hand, there are two notable communal zones: the cafeteria, featuring a sizable social meeting table, high stools, and prominent hanging lamps; and the "arena," a wooden platform adorned with hanging lights and assorted colorful poufs. This arena embodies the company's innovative spirit, fostering informal conversations that can potentially spark fresh ideas and proposals for new projects.

Another standout area is the showroom, meticulously crafted to provide an in-depth exploration of the brand's offerings. Tailor-made furniture, including a reception desk, display units, and specialized benches for the wall and screen area, all elegantly incorporate integrated backlit polycarbonate lighting.

Lastly, there is a series of enclosed meeting rooms strategically placed throughout. These rooms mix warm-toned chairs with differently colored carpet tiles to set them apart from the open workspaces, creating a visual contrast. These areas are designed to offer more privacy for meetings and extended conversations with clients, all without causing acoustic disruptions for colleagues.

In today's landscape, every project naturally adopts a sustainable approach. However, for DOW, it was imperative to incorporate ideas and resources that would maximize responsible resource utilization. As a company strongly dedicated to sustainability, their new workspace was expected to be in harmony with their values. Consequently, they embraced several pivotal elements with the primary goal of reducing their carbon footprint. This included the utilization of locally sourced materials and the implementation of sophisticated temperature control systems. These systems not only ensured comfort by considering various environmental factors but also incorporated CO2 sensors to generate and analyze data, facilitating the adjustment of temperature to minimize environmental impact.