Merit Interactive Headquarters Interior Design | LYCS Architecture

Merit Interactive Headquarters, designed by LYCS Architecture, integrates architecture, interior, and exhibition design. The project is located in the eastern part of the West Hangzhou Science and Innovation Corridor and has a total floor area of approximately 87,000 square meters. It includes facilities for research and development, office work, meetings, exhibitions, and leisure activities and can accommodate up to 5,000 people working and living simultaneously.

Merit Interactive is a professional data intelligence service provider that is the first to list on the A-share market in China. It provides a wealth of data intelligence products, services, and solutions for customers in various industries, such as Internet operation, user growth, brand marketing, digital intelligence traffic, and government entities.

Merit Interactive team is one of China's most active serial entrepreneurship groups. Since 2005, they have evolved rapidly from producing feature phone chargers, "BeiBei," to becoming the leading professional third-party push service provider, "Getui," and extending into the field of information security. Designing an office space for such a flexible and open Internet technology company means that traditional, unchanging interior spaces are inevitably inadequate. With "Ocean" and "Flexibility" as the key themes, the design team embarked on a co-creative journey with Merit Interactive to explore the optimal working environment.

The Giant Whales，Ocean of Creations

Based on the client's business type and the "whale" logo. The design team proposed the architectural concept of "The Giant Whale Leaped Out of Ocean." The architectural form is envisioned as a whale leaping out of the water, symbolizing Merit Interactive's aspirations to navigate the era of big data. The interior design continues to embrace the themes of "Ocean" and "Organism." The overall design presents a "Simple and Pleasant" technological style, integrating various marine elements for a free, open, and energetic environment. The aim is to create user-centric work and living spaces that foster an atmosphere of freedom and energy.

The journey that articulates Merit Interactive's brand traits begins right from the entrance, where iconic elements such as whales, angular lines, and the color blue permeate the entire space. These elements enhance the vitality and dynamic atmosphere and underscore the brand's leadership and excellence. Whales, rendered in geometric facets, navigate the space in a literal or abstract manner, adding depth and intrigue to the interior design.

The triple-height space of the third floor draws the eye upward to meet the gaze of a blue whale suspended in midair, creating an impactful first impression in the entrance lobby. Warm interior materials paired with technologically inspired metal sculptures make a striking statement. Below, an underwater whale's gigantic, shadowy silhouette is cast upon the floor, with its gracefully uplifted tail ingeniously serving as the reception island.

A three-story gradient of blue gently recedes across the floor, delineating dedicated areas for relaxation, discussion, and brainstorming within collaborative spaces. Snack areas, meeting rooms, and co-creation rooms are crafted like small islands scattered throughout the open office space. This distinctive blue hue projects oceanic culture into every office corner, enhancing the thematic continuity of the marine-inspired environment.

Discussions, Anytime, Anywhere

Merit Interactive (Getui) was founded by a university student entrepreneurial team and has grown from a small group to nearly a thousand members. The culture of open and spontaneous discussion has been carried forward. The owner desires the entire office space to feature numerous areas that facilitate discussions, ensuring that this culture of collaboration continues to thrive.

The design team proposed an unconventional layout for the workspace, positioning it away from the windows. Instead, they created a window-lined circular space designated as a discussion and walking area. Furthermore, an oversized discussion whiteboard was installed with the inner facade of the curtain wall aluminum panels to form a circular co-creation zone. This design allows employees to spontaneously generate and exchange ideas under natural sunlight, fostering a dynamic and inspiring work environment.

The design team crafted over ten different "Little Monster" installations, each varying in scale and form, scattered throughout the office space like origami cranes. These artistic elements are intended to unleash the company's creativity, adding a playful and inspiring touch to the workplace environment.

In addition to open discussion areas, the enclosed meeting rooms are creatively named after mathematicians or mathematical formulas. This unique naming convention has created an engaging and memorable intellectual space within the company, enhancing the thematic and inspirational aspects of the workplace.

Considering the owner's need for efficient communication, the design team incorporated curved chamfers into the large meeting room's design. This approach utilizes sound reflection to create two acoustic focal points, ensuring sound can be transmitted clearly to every part of the room without obstruction.

Liberal Layout with Sky-socket System

Given the high demand for innovation in Merit Interactive's business field, traditional floor-based plug systems proved too restrictive when layout changes were needed. In response, the design team innovatively created a "Sky-socket System," where all equipment pipelines are centrally integrated into the ceiling. This solution facilitates greater flexibility in space utilization and layout adjustments.

Sky-socket System is divided into two layouts: "Inter-City Expressway" and "Urban Ring Road." The "Inter-City Expressway" layout centralizes most pipelines next to the core cylinder in corridor spaces, facilitating easy maintenance. Meanwhile, the "Urban Ring Road" encircles each work area, liberating the interior spaces from pipelines and making the overall space more open and expansive. This strategic layout enhances the functional aesthetics and efficiency of the workspace.

From the "Urban Ring Road" system, conduits that can slide along the ring are lowered to connect directly to the office desks, providing functionalities such as power and internet connections. This innovative design ensures that essential services are seamlessly and efficiently delivered to each workstation, enhancing convenience and productivity in the workplace.

Thanks to the Sky-socket System, the interior space can be quickly reformatted whenever business needs change. This allows for a fresh layout to accommodate new initiatives from scratch, enabling the company to adapt and renew itself rapidly—a process akin to "metabolic renewal" for the business.

Work Hard, Live Happy

Starting from the perspective of employee care, the design team has created numerous amenities to satisfy the leisure and lifestyle needs of the staff. These include a gym, a rooftop basketball court, an activity terrace, shower rooms, a nursing room, and an open-air cinema. Even the underground parking garage is filled with clever design elements, demonstrating a commitment to humanistic care and fostering a strong sense of belonging within the company.

Located on the first floor of Building 1, the west side's "Ge Cafe" vividly embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of Merit Interactive. This multipurpose space, which integrates office functions, reception, display, relaxation, and socializing areas, offers employees and visitors a unique brand-specific visual experience and comprehensive social functionalities. This setup enhances the overall atmosphere, making it a distinctive and functional gathering spot within the company.

A three-dimensional pedestrian circulation system designed to encourage healthy living weaves through both the interior and exterior of the building. This includes angular staircases that connect the indoor lobby to the third floor and smaller spiral staircases between levels. Beyond elevators, these stairways add an engaging and dynamic walking route that promotes physical activity among employees as they move throughout the facility.

On the campus, zigzagging large steps and flowing landscape paths provide various dynamic movement options, facilitating barrier-free access for employees. The indoor and outdoor circulation routes are seamlessly connected through the partial uplift of the tower structures, allowing employees to move freely between office areas and terrace gardens, much like sea sprites gliding through their habitat. This design enhances both the functionality and aesthetic appeal of the workplace environment.