Matsu Store & Office

Matsu Furniture Flagship Store

Matsu flagship store rented a 3 storey space in a high-rise residential in downtown Shanghai, it needs a facade which can isolate the building from noise but invite the sun light; also the facade has to be removed after the expiry of rent; meanwhile the client wishes the building could stand out from the chaotic urban environment — thus we have the idea of the Furniture store in ginkgo forest: the sun piercing through the aluminium ginkgo leaves creates an atmosphere of serenity. Ginkgo tree is one of the most valuable and elegant trees, which fits Matsu corporate vision in pursuit of quality. This concept runs through the exterior and interior as a clue: for example the leaves which cut down from the facade are embedded in the cement floor after an acid treatment to create a scene of Fall.

The gingko concept runs through the exterior and interior as a clue: for example the leaves which cut down from the facade are embedded in the cement floor after an acid treatment to create a scene of Fall.
The sunlight through the first layer of facade; Double-layer vacuum glass as noise barrier and thermal.

Matsu M office

Matus office is located along a deep alley of Shanghai’s French Concessions. It is a conversion of a three-story building originally constructed in the 1980’s. The neighborhood is surrounded by a jumble of buildings and the west of the site is above the buildings base by one meter. This project not only functions as a flexible working environment for MATSU but also an exhibit for the possibilities of a modern office to inspire customers. Our strategy is to identify and intensify this sense of excitement.

The focus of the building’s design is to create a very modern and graceful office which contrasts the dilapidation of the neighborhood whilst retaining a harmony in the juxtaposition. This duality is exactly the charm of Shanghai, the contemporary coexisting with the old and the symbiosis of the international and local. So therefore we retained facade to maximize the contrast of the existing building with sharply designed new window as and doors.

In order to accommodate hundreds of salespeople working in a building of less than 400m?, we concentrated on keeping them mobile by removing a fixed seating arrangement. Each member of staff has a locked cabinet allowing them to change where they sit daily, tailoring the working environment to their current needs and braking the monotony of office life. Each floor is distinctly different in design . The ground level has a reception, meeting rooms, and can accommodate public events along with a connecting yard. The new glass conservatory space brings in plenty of light. Ambient lighting is hidden in ceiling junctions and the plan remains simple, allowing the space to comfortably accommodate many arrangements and uses. With floor to ceiling glazing the indoor space feels deceptively larger as the outdoor space connects. Second and third floors holds cabinets, small meeting rooms and WC’s. The design of workplaces focuses on the variety of office communication; the collision of ideas, in depth discussion along with independent thinking. Each work station varies to meet the many ways we work; from drifting gazes on the outdoor scenery for inspiration to the ingenuity of the indoor environment harboring collaboration.

Project Name:

Matsu Store & Office, Shanghai

Client:

Matsu Furniture Co. Ltd.

Finished:

2011, 2013

Gross Area:

1,800 sqm (store)
700 sqm (office)

Accept and close