Is this an office? No, this is where fantasies come true

Planning and design: Sarah and Nirit Frenkel - Frenkel Architecture and Interior Design 

Photo: Itay Benit

After years of working in the previous office, we felt that there was no compatibility between it and the content we represent. We decided to make the move for several reasons: one is to create a pleasant, relaxed and effective work environment that will reflect the content worlds we touch and at the same time create a space that conveys a message to customers and reflects a family design concept and at the same time very clean. 

We tried to pour touches of rustic, industrial design into the spaces with a wink to the modern. One of the principles that guided us is to maintain an office with a family-like and inviting character - LOOK AND FEEL. Being is domestic, the office elements are embedded and hidden. You don't enter and immediately find paperwork and binders, you don't see technical basics.

The printers, for example, sit in a decorative yet functional cabinet accessible to all departments of the office, the paper has been replaced by a system that scans everything into a computerized document database, and if in the previous office there were pictures of houses we designed on the walls, then in the present one we left room for a different kind of art and the presentation of the projects is drained to a dedicated screen in the room the meetings

Embarking on such an operation is no small thing for an active office that is entrusted with many projects in various stages of development. Naturally, there is a tendency to be drawn into doing and give priority to customers first. We decided not to be under pressure and let things progress at their own pace. We did not set a deadline so that the process did not interfere with the current work and at the same time we were able to create for our clients an environment that reflects the work and the field that is based on aesthetics and planning that are well reflected in the new office. 

The size of the office is approximately 120 square meters, since the space has one direction of light, it was important for us to utilize it in the optimal way and bathe the entire space in natural light as much as possible. The main mass of the partitions that defines the spaces is made of glass, which automatically creates a soft and airy feeling At the same time, it allows the natural light to flood the interior spaces as well. At the same time, we chose the lighting for the various spaces in a smart way. It combines functional lighting and ambient lighting that supports and adapts to the design concept.

The conceptual planning and design is evident even before entering the office itself. It was important to us to create a careful planning picture that was taken care of inside and out. Upon entering the office, you are exposed to the lobby and on the other side of the door is Sarah's office. Immediately after it is a meeting room and inside Nirit's office.

The architects sit in a common space that is intelligently separated that allows them a comfortable and effective work environment and at the same time allows for brainstorming. It was important to us that the conference room would be a central and dynamic focal point that could be seen from every area of what was happening there and at the same time would not interfere with the day-to-day activities of the other departments.

The white color dominates the shell, furniture and accessories. It reflects light well and makes the space look big. In order to give the space a layered and rich look, we made sure to work with different materials, patterns and textures that together create the whole. We used textures and materials that emphasize who we are - a construction of layers upon layers, a whitewashed wooden ceiling, white painted bricks, parquet and partitions made of a light carpentry frame, in the center of which is a glass display case.

We harnessed the lighting as a functional and atmospheric tool. It was important to us to emphasize the interior spaces and the decorative lighting fixtures are also used as a tool to create an interesting dimension that combines shapes, heights and volumes. In the entrance lobby and in the conference room there are presences but those that fit in complete harmony with the rest of the elements. The technical lighting is hidden and does not have a massive presence in the space. It was important to us during planning to provide a solution and effective light for each space, especially in the areas where the computers are located, which are our main work tools.

Although the planning concept of the firm defines it as a domestic space, we have not given up on advanced technologies which are a central tool in the work of an architectural firm. The systems are smart and computerized. We built a comprehensive database and all this without it taking over the design of the space.

It is important that the customer feels from the first moment, even before he walks through the door, that he has arrived home. that from his first sight he will understand that he will receive a meticulously planned and designed product. It was equally important for us to create a space for the employees where they would feel good and comfortable, where they would feel safe.