After months spent working at home, we are often rather reluctant to think about returning to the office. It may be worth considering what contemporary work spaces should look like to favor companies and employees. We visit the Warsaw headquarters of Papaya Films and the interiors designed by Moszczyńska Puchalska Studio.
not just a desk anymore
For many years, large corporations have boasted about the spaces of their modern offices, full of color, comfortable common areas and daylight. Today, it's safe to say that this is no longer just a trend, but a growing awareness among employers. The space we work in (as well as any other) has a huge impact on our well-being, and thus productivity. An office is no longer just a desk - a place to work, but part of a company's DNA. It's a business card that reflects the values of its team, which may (not necessarily) attract customers. Good design also often provokes human behavior mechanisms. With comfortable seating in a common space, team meetings will be associated with something pleasant, and a well-organized kitchen indirectly promotes healthy eating or waste segregation.
Papaya Films interior | photo by ADAM BONDAROWICZ.
Papaya Films produces extraordinary commercials and films, and brings together artists and open-minded people. The production house is more than just a workplace. It is a space where new ideas are born.
Papaya Films' office is built on a circular plan - with no beginning and no end - We have opened the space not only for freedom of movement, but also of thought. None of us, including the managers, have assigned desks, rooms or offices. Every day we choose where we work and with whom we share the space, and when necessary we change our minds or give in to naturally acting circumstances," says Papaya Films head Kacper Sawicki in an interview with Vogue.co.uk.
space and light
Papaya Films' new office is a continuation of its collaboration with Moszczyńska Puchalska studio. In 2015, the Warsaw-based architects were involved in the adaptation of a floor of an office building. Among the most important objectives of that project was to provide open space and daylight. The office space was stripped of most partition walls. The designers filled the interior with accessories, providing a homey atmosphere. The grays are complemented by wooden bookcases, colorful carpets and live plants.
In 2019, the space for meetings, conferences and conventions, located two floors below, underwent a transformation.
- The condition was that the new interiors should be conducive to tranquility and creative work, while at the same time being a representative part of the office allowing the reception of guests," Marta Puchalska-Kraciuk describes the assumptions on Vogue.pl.
ecology
Ecology is a value that in this day and age should already be followed by all companies, without exception. Papaya Films is a company that has been taking care of the environment when producing films and commercials for years, including reducing printing, reusing sets and props. Employees and customers drink only tap water, and coffee from plastic capsules has long been forgotten.
How to combine open minds, good architecture and ecology?
biophillic design
This is an architectural concept invented more than 30 years ago by American biologist Edward O. Wilson. It is based on the proximity of man and nature. Architectural solutions based on this idea, take into account daylight, air conditions and natural colors. Thanks to the greenery of living plants, both outside the window and in the room, open spaces and natural light, the interiors are more user-friendly, positively affect their well-being and, consequently, their work.
light first
Upon entering the office, our gaze falls on a circular counter made of terrazzo, covered with ceramic tiles. It serves as a reception desk and a minibar where one can enjoy a cup of coffee. The relaxation area is surrounded by plants, and comfortable seating invites you to gather together. An important element is the open kitchen, which also features a dining alcove. A semicircular corridor leads to three conference rooms of varying sizes.
The office building is equipped with relatively small windows, so the architects opted for colors that would make the interior appear brighter. Light beiges, sand-brick finishes and wooden accessories provide the impression of a large, bright space. Among the lamps, classic designs by Frank Gehry stand out - the Cloud lamps by Belux, among others. Lamps are among the few "decorations" we will meet in the office. In addition to them, the decorative function is performed by plants, which also have a positive effect on air quality
In the semicircular corridor, covered with raw clinker tiles, you will find a collection of unique "swords" designed by Oskar Zięta. These are not ordinary ornaments, but statuettes that Papaya Films wins every year in the prestigious ranking organized by the Advertising Creators Club.
Papaya Films corridor | photo ADAM BONDAROWICZ
made in poland
The interior has been tailored to the client down to the last element. Papaya Films is a Polish asset on the international film and advertising scene. In the interior of the office, most of the furniture and accessories were manufactured in Poland. Kitchen equipment, ceramics, furniture, sculptures are not only Polish brands, but also materials that are associated with our native design and blend perfectly with the Polish landscape. Natural wood, wicker, raw ceramics. among the manufacturers are such brands as MDD, Swallow's Tail, MTI Furninova.
The interior is conducive not only to work, but also to stay in it itself, it is an excellent showcase. An office that is designed for people makes it a pleasure to work.
