Irene Office

Irene Office

Irene Office is an innovative interior design project that exemplifies the concept of a vertical micro-city through its sophisticated architectural transformation of a commercial space. Located in New Taipei City, Taiwan, this 283.6-square-meter office space masterfully utilizes a seven-meter-high ceiling to create a multi-layered environment that seamlessly integrates form and function. The design draws profound inspiration from Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities, specifically the fictional city of Irene, translating literary abstraction into tangible architectural elements. The space is distinguished by its innovative use of fair-faced concrete, which has been deconstructed and reconstructed to create varying forms that play with light and shadow, establishing a dialogue between reality and imagination. A central concrete staircase serves as both a functional element and a symbolic cornerstone, featuring varying step heights that create an illusion of floating platforms. The design incorporates several notable features, including a six-meter-long glass fish tank that functions as both an aesthetic element and an indirect light source, while natural sunlight penetrates through strategically designed height differences between floors, creating an effect reminiscent of sunlight filtering through leaves. The project, which was completed in 2015, garnered international recognition by winning the Silver A' Design Award in the Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design category, acknowledging its exceptional contribution to innovative spatial design. The office's layout demonstrates remarkable spatial efficiency, with the first floor occupying 155 square meters and a mezzanine level covering 128.6 square meters, creating distinct functional zones while maintaining visual continuity throughout the space.

interior design, vertical micro-city, fair-faced concrete, architectural transformation, commercial space design, sustainable office design

— Adam Dawson