November 6, 2024

CISHAN’s Workspace Design by Shirley Dong Prioritizes Comfort

Designer Shirley Dong has created a workspace for CISHAN on the top floor of a building near Xixi Wetland in Hangzhou, China. Designed to align with the brand’s restrained and serene ethos, the office features an open layout with strategic spatial planning. Key elements include a landscape void, a sunken courtyard with a skylight, and antique furniture that adds a touch of warmth.

Minimalist living room with large gray sofa, ornate side table, and expansive windows.

Thoughtful Material Selection

CISHAN’s office, designed by Shirley Dong, is located on the top floor of a building near Xixi Wetland in Hangzhou, China. It reflects the company’s ethos of a serene and rational atmosphere through thoughtful material selection and strategic spatial layouts.

Dark, modern hallway with exposed wooden beams, concrete floors, and minimalist furnishings.

Dong’s design integrates solid and void spaces, seamless indoor-outdoor transitions, natural landscapes, and antique furniture to subtly echo the brand’s values. The approach transcends conventional office design by incorporating diversified spaces to meet various needs, making the office more comfortable and pleasant.

A modern, open-concept kitchen with sleek black cabinetry, concrete beams, and glass walls.

Dynamic and Static Paths

The design divides space circulations into dynamic and static paths to accommodate public communication and internal work. The original building layout features a regular column grid structure, and the aim was to create an open environment with areas of privacy.

Rustic industrial loft interior with exposed concrete walls, wooden beams, and antique furnishings.

A central island within the column grid houses small conference rooms, an open kitchen, and photocopying storage. This multi-functional island serves as a transition between public and private spaces, softening the enclosed volume of the space and allowing for flow.

A serene, minimalist dining room with deep wood tones, lush greenery, and striking architectural features.

Sunken Courtyard

Adjacent to the central island is a landscape void to enhance lighting. Leveraging the top-floor advantage, Dong designed a sunken courtyard with a skylight connecting the indoor space to the rooftop terrace. The courtyard features tree pits accommodating various plant root systems.

Open-concept office with exposed wooden beams, glass partitions, and modern furniture.

The design creates views of the courtyard from various spaces, allowing for an outdoor atmosphere indoors. This natural area offers views, lighting, and spatial transitions while connecting the open office space and the meeting room.

Modern industrial-style office with exposed wooden beams, glass partitions, and minimalist furnishings.

Outdoor Space Features

Accessing the meeting room requires passing through the courtyard via a transitional corridor. The patio wall extends to the roof terrace, connecting spaces while creating a courtyard landscape frame for privacy. Internal stairs lead to the rooftop terrace, a fully outdoor space.

Outdoor patio with cozy seating, firepit, and lighting under an evening sky.

Instead of ready-made outdoor furniture, concrete was custom-cast into a fireplace, low tables, seats, and tree pits, creating a multifunctional outdoor area suitable for relaxation and work-related gatherings. The indoor space features a ceiling-free design exposing the original beam structure, with spotlights providing precise lighting.

Simple and Restrained Materials

Materials are simple and restrained, primarily wood, artistic paint, and self-leveling cement. The public area’s open kitchen and tea space are wrapped in black wood panels, creating a semi-enclosed space for resting and interaction. Window-side cabinets also use black wood panels, establishing a calm dialogue between different materials.

Soft elements come from the owner’s antique furniture collection, including a small stool, coffee table, tea table, and chairs. This combination creates a Zen-like atmosphere, serene with a touch of warmth, consistently conveying the brand’s restrained and serene image.

Dong’s design approach reflects a seamless integration of nature, modern workspaces, and historical elements, providing a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing environment at CISHAN’s office.

Photography courtesy of Shirley Dong
Visit Shirley Dong

- by Matt Watts

CISHAN’s Workspace Design by Shirley Dong Prioritizes Comfort

Thoughtful Material Selection

Dynamic and Static Paths

Sunken Courtyard

Outdoor Space Features

Simple and Restrained Materials

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