Innovation That Matters

The furniture reveals how organic material can function harmoniously with a brand new space that looks and feels more industrial. | Photo source Snøhetta

Curvy, wooden furniture brings warmth to new co-working office space

Architecture & Design

An undulating, seamless swathe of wood provides seating, standing and desk areas

Spotted: A wooden structure inspired by brush strokes forms the core of a new co-working space in Shibuya, Tokyo. Designed by Norwegian architecture studio Snøhetta for the company Digital Garage, the project and space is named Pangaea, after the early single continent on Earth. 

Giving the impression of undulations, the design is made from Japanese cedar wood, and provides desktop workspace, seating and places to congregate. Created as a means of connecting people who work nomadically, digitally and independently, Digital Garage is using the newly opened office as inspiration for its other locations. The furniture also reveals how organic material can function harmoniously with a brand new space that looks and feels more industrial.  

Alongside individual workstations, the cedar wood installation facilitates collaborative working, providing ample room for meetings and presentations. Ceiling lights follow the curvature of the wood, and a glass wall opens up to allow for movement in and out of the office.  

As a material used in construction, wood is hugely versatile. Thanks to its smaller carbon footprint, flexible assembly, portability and its capacity to bear heavy loads, wood is experiencing a renaissance with many build-design firms reaping the benefits of wood construction. Springwise is tracking this uptake, having recently spotted an off-grid research centre built from salvaged and repurposed wood, as well as the use of cross-laminated timber in construction projects to add stability to buildings.

Written by: Keely Khoury

Explore more: Work and Lifestyle

Email: jette@snohetta.com

Website: snohetta.com