Adaptive Transformations

A Comprehensive Design Review Approach for Multifunctionality and User Diversity

Revitalizing a Business Park for Diverse Tenants

Defining End Users

Shaping the public realm

Modular Design enables flexibility

Applying the Regulatory plan into a sample massing

Amenities and character areas

Revitalizing a Business Park for Diverse Tenants

The Vision

The Client is looking to develop a business park concept with various targeted end-users. They aim to create a Premium experience that responds to the market needs for office spaces in the region In that context, I am tasked with performing a design review of a proposed scheme. Any proposed changes on my part would have to maintain or increase the overall leasable space.

The Challenges

The proposed scheme (seen above) did not accommodate the envisioned tenancies (varying between company headquarters, medium companies, floating desk and shared spaces, etc.); while some buildings are clustered together, others are considerably isolated and would be left without the necessary amenities and proper access. This also meant that while some office spaces benefited from access to a common lobby, while others were only accessible at the end of a long semi-public corridor.

The Approach

Identifying End-users and Tenancy types
Creating modular, flexible solutions that accommodates the needs of each type
Defining the public, semi-public and private spaces, as well as gateways and visual corridors
Maximizing the leasable area through minimizing wasted spaces
Producing a “Regulatory Plan” that showcases the potential solutions to be adopted by the architect, highlighting the main opportunities without creating further constraints

Defining End Users

Identifying the end users and customer profiles is what allows the creation of flexible solutions that maximize leasable space and attract the right tenancies, while making sure to provide them with the required amenities and services.

Shaping the public realm

It is important to clarify the nature of the negative space within the layout: How can pedestrians access the project? How can the office occupants circulate within the confines of the private space? What is the visual relationship between the private and public? Moreover, how can the shared spaces improve the quality of life of the business park occupants?

Modular Design enables flexibility

As part of the regulatory plan, I defined four main building typologies, defined by their overall areas and number of frontages, as well as the types of tenancies they can accommodate

Typology A:

One flank wall, 3 frontages
Openings on the 3 facades
Shares circulation core with adjacent unit
Spaces can be combined with adjacent spaces for larger tenancies

Typology B:

One flank wall, 2 to 3 frontages
Openings on the 2 facades
Shares circulation core with adjacent unit
Can be combined with adjacent spaces for larger tenancies

Developing Typologies into sample layouts

Applying the Regulatory plan into a sample massing

Based on the parameters set by the regulatory plan, I generated a sample massing plan to serve as a design guideline, and to help in calculating the yielded leasable area, which exceeded the previous proposal (comparison below).

Amenities and character areas

Preliminary basic 3Ds and sections allow me to integrate mood imagery from local and international benchmarks, and show the potential of the suggested architectural elements.

This schematic section shows the leveling scheme which elevated the private area by 1m, allowing for more privacy and better parking configurations. The central spine shows the pedestrian experience and walkability factor on several levels.
The mood imagery supports the idea of using louvers to provide privacy and comfort.