Design Concept
Paragon Interface took advantage of the different
skill sets of their team that complement each other.
What was truly creative is that out of a set of so
many individuals, they created a holistic image of
what they envisioned the ethos of the building
to be. What they presented and what possibly
contributed to being awarded the project was the
ethos, atmosphere, and environment created in the
concept. If you visit the building now and compare
it to the original presentation, the aesthetics may
not be exactly the same, but the overall idea of
how they saw Discovery occupying a building is
still very much the same and still very much the
strongest part of the design development.
whereas in the larger atrium, you really feel the
level of activity, as it opens up more towards you.
As you walk through the concourse, you can see
how Discovery’s brand identity has been populated
in that space with Box-like ‘pods’ added onto the
sides of the concourse. This is not only to enhance
the aesthetic, but also showcases Discovery’s
Atria
Atriums formed one of the main drivers behind the
design context. The central atrium design was led
very much by the idea of the concourse. Working
with Boogertman + Partners and Discovery,
there was an understanding that they wanted
the building to be very active; they wanted to see
people, activities & life happening, This was then
translated into public spaces, active collaboration
hubs, break out spaces, pause areas and agile
workspaces. Initially the left and right atriums were
very structured and the same all the way up. As
they developed, the atrium designs became more
curvilinear and spoke more to the architectural
design of the building.
There are two conceptual ideas of a CALM
atrium and an ACTIVE atrium. A visitor will get
the feeling that the one atrium is far more peaceful;
there is a lot more planting and it is more intimate,
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