The extravagant design history began in Budapest due to the closure of Covid-19 in March 2020, when the fast-growing Shapr3D team outgrew their existing office and decided to expand it. The goal of Minusplus’ designers -in addition to the necessary floor space and functional expansion- was to create a self-identical office interior that can present the values of the brand and is unique, recognizable and identifiable in the property market.
Project Name: Shapr3D Office
Studio Name: Minusplus Architects
Photos: Tamás Török
The design started on two threads: the floor plan and functional design were defined by the analysis of the later mode of operation, while the design principles and the set of shapes and colors were determined by the visual language of the Shapr3D application. The next task was to lay the neck-wrapped floor plans that had once been sacrificed for the facade of the building.
Traffic between the office areas runs on a prominent route: a line of pink cable trays guides the eye over the exposed pavement strip. Next to the vibrant blue lobby space, the former maze has been straightened, and the path now leads into the old office space through the new super-colored multifun area. The multifun is a kitchen-dining-community space and also a large meeting room in one, which has a hybrid design that serves a wide variety of modus operandi. The multifun is a kitchen-dining-community space and a large meeting room, which has been given a hybrid design to serves all functions. The necessary closed offices and meeting rooms handle the minimal external traffic next to the lobby.
The workstations were located next to the facades, while the meeting rooms were built in the depth of the floorplan. These face the facades through their unique interior windows. Compact meeting rooms have been placed in the temporary office space next to the internal corridor, thus this layered floor plan division supports both private and community work methods, according to the individual needs of employees and work groups. So the office has all the tools to support the user an intuitive choice of space solutions, be it a one- or four-person meeting box or a quick brainstorming in the multifun. It is as handy as the software itself.
The ambiance of the office spaces reflects the way it works: calm, monochrome (black and white) elements of the workspaces support focused work, while the community spaces throw up everyday life with bright colors. The Shapr3D office is therefore not a selfish furniture showroom, but a custom-made working environment with individual solutions. The focus of design is on the user experience, in which all interior design elements, colors and shapes evoke the Shapr3D application. This will make the interior design a real interface between the app and the user.
Interior designer Minusplus believes, that any office interior is based on the communication of the companies’ image of themselves, in which the purpose of the office space – in addition to the basic function – is to convey these values to employees and external partners. For Shapr3D, these values were curiosity, pragmatism, and commitment to the product.
The interior design is thus a communication channel that will be unique and useful in each case due to the honest appearance of the different brand elements. In such an environment, there is no need for boring repeation of motivational captions. The purpose and results of the development become understandable and livable for everyone through the well-chosen interior design language and emphasis.
Three examples of unique characters realized in the office:
- The five-fingered glove of the lobby, where five different directions meet. The interior design of this unique space is based on Escher’s perspective transformations appearing in the Shapr3D logo. The space walls, which bloom in the colors of the company’s brand, cast a random colored shadow on the floor plane, so that the spaces of each corner together form an enchanted pseudo-space. Space in space. Logo in space. Shapr3D in space.
- Colours and shapes. Opening the Shapr3D application, we have the space in which the orientation is based on a square grid on a white plain. So this is the starting point in which we move forward in modeling with transformations of basic geometrical forms. The office space is structured in a similar way: we start on a white plane with a square grid, in which the individual character elements appear in an emphatic way: planes, circles, extruded shapes, contoured surfaces. The basic colors that appear in the entrance space are the brand identity colors, which we counterbalance with warm colour pairs in the public spaces and meeting rooms. All of this is designed to blend different coloured spots in every direction, while open workspaces support focused work as quieter, monochrome spaces.
- A unique set of furniture that tells the basics of spatial modeling through the repetition and transformation of simple shapes – columns and cylinders. The custom-made furniture are multifunctional: space dividers between the individual groups of tables, plus their basic functions are plant boxes, coat hangers and shelves. Lovely simple shapes, corporate colors, useful features.
The line can go on for a long time. In this treasure hunt game, opening and understanding the Shapr3D app is the key. You open it, you try it, you understand it. It’s as simple as that.
WE ARE MINUSPLUS
Minusplus is an independent, 20 person architecture and design studio based in Budapest. We provide sustainable and innovative design solutions. We are sentient human beings, we love harmony and beauty. The most important thing for us is to create beautiful and harmonious design. Our interest is faithfully reflected in the diversity of our works. We enjoy what we do, and this is clearly visible in our buildings as well. Our plans are surrounded by continuous professional interest, our buildings are regularly published and rewarded with prizes.
WE CREATE INSPIRATIONAL SPACES
The main ambition of our team is to design buildings that encourage their activity. We explore new contexts and re-interpret the relationship of spaces and their habitants. We believe this makes the world around us a better place.
WE ARE CURIOUS
Our method is discovery: we create the setpoints of the plan from the analysis and interpretation of the given situation. We dare to ask and search for new solutions, for this we systematically research architecture and develop our own capabilities. We are convinced that the question is the most important driving force that starts a change.
WE COOPERATE
Our working method is receptive, therefore our architectural responses are various and colourful. We believe that harmonizing different approaches will advance our world and build our environment.
WE MAKE IT HAPPEN
We stand with two feet on the ground: our ideas are innovators, but we always work out ways to make them feasible.
TEAM
Dr. Zsolt Alexa, founder, managing director, lead architect
Donát Rabb, founder, managing director, lead architect
Dr. Ákos Schreck, founder, managing director, lead architect
Andrea Galambos, office manager
Bea Bernard, senior project architect
Sarolta Bessenyey, project architect
Ágnes Bubla, architect
Henriett Gelányi, architect
Balázs Kis, senior project architect
Kitti Claudia Kódor, architect
Dorka Lázár, architect
Tímea Molnár, senior project architect
Richárd Zoltán Szarvas, architect
Ivett Tarr, senior project architect
Anna Flóra Tátrai, architect
András Tislér, architect
Balázs Turai, senior project architect
