African Design Magazine July 2016 | Page 45

African project Atlas Office – South Africa The Atlas Office is a boutique style office designed by Gottsmann Architects and built by Hein Lewandowski and his team. The design primarily makes use of shutter ply as material. The use of shutter ply, used for its cost effectiveness, brought in a light wood texture and appearance, softening the typical hard spaces one finds in offices. The 200m² office is located in Clearwater Office Park, Kempton Park, Gauteng. asis on materiality T he brief required a central boardroom, flanked by two large open plan offices. Tall custom made sliding timber and glass doors provided access control into the various offices. The random timber pattern on both sides of the glass, provided privacy between the open plan offices and generated a sense of intrigue and excitement at the front foyer. The boardroom, nicknamed ‘the birdroom’, sought to assign a creative yet formal meeting room space for both presentations and meetings. PROJECT TEAM The design was to be simple in form with emphasis on materiality. The office had to provide work areas able to be made private and which could be used for multiple purposes. Simple forms accentuated by materials and textures of timber elements were offset against a white box canvas. LOCATION: Clearwater office Park, Kempton Park, South Africa interior designers: Gottsmann Architects; Reinier Harmse & Donovan Gottsmann contractor: Hein Lewandowski area: 200m2 Photography: RH.Photographix africandesignmagazine.com 45