2013-10-25
BRIO - one of Sweden's most stylish offices
Toy manufacturer BRIO's new office in Malmö, with architecture and interior design by FOJAB arkitekter, is competing for the title of "Sweden's most beautiful office" in an ongoing competition organized by Lokalnytt. Architect Anna Belfrage talks about the project.
- The raw attic at Malmö Central has been transformed into BRIO's new headquarters. Property owner Jernhusen had prepared the adaptation by restoring stairwells, re-roofing, reinforcing floors and preparing installations.
- We drew on the special character of the attic, with its brick arches and mighty wooden structures, and worked on specially designed interiors. Every nook and cranny was used to make room. This has led to both unexpected and exciting solutions, I think. Of course, there were also a lot of installations to take into account. Some are hidden but others have been integrated into the design in a fully visible way.
- The color scheme was also important. We laid a black and white, stark base and then added colorful display spaces for BRIO's classic toys. Playful foils were developed together with BRIO's own project team and Ideas AB. It has become an office that conveys the brand's identity to visitors and employees in a fun way, says Anna Belfrage.
This is what BRIO itself says about its new environment in the competition motivation:
"BRIO's strong identity has been carefully incorporated into the premises and details. Impossible angles have been playfully given new functions - there are now showrooms in every room and they can all be played with for real! With us, the journey starts right outside the door and continues by inviting visitors to take off their outerwear in our enlarged product: the subway set. Here there is room to create the new play of the future."