Before the global pandemic subsided, the debate about “returning to the office” intensified in many Western companies… During this period, the London headquarters of Zaha Hadid Architects underwent a futuristic renovation. The use of wireless controlled lighting systems in the office building enhanced the attractiveness of the office space, promoted responsive design, and brought benefits to employees..
Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) is renowned for its radical designs such as the MAXXI Gallery in Rome and the London Aquatics Centre, and the renovation process of its London headquarters faces different types of challenges. This world leading architectural design firm did not build a new building in London, but instead worked in an original garment factory at 101 Goswell Road. The new lighting system has played an important role in this renovation, turning this historic building into a flexible and open environment suitable for collaborative work in multiple aspects..
ZHA has been using this seven story old factory since 2012, but the team has been separated between this building and the nearby Bowling Green Lane renovated school building. After the outbreak of the COVID-19, the staff mainly worked at home. The change in working methods made the directors of ZHA see the opportunity to merge the offices into one place and rethink the way the offices operate..
ZHA Director Chris Lepine explained, “Our idea is to support different types of work styles, give employees more choices and flexibility, and increase the possibility of meaningful interaction, rather than trying to fit as many desks as possible. We need to give them a reason to enter the office. Therefore, the transformation of meeting and collaboration spaces is crucial.”..
Compared to the old school building, the Goswell Road office building has a larger area and improved street landscape. Although there are some challenges in the renovation, it is still the most suitable choice for future development. The low ceiling and staircase/elevator core area near the walls limit natural lighting. Therefore, in order to do a good job in this renovation work, it is necessary to create lighting that is beneficial to the space..
The people-oriented lighting system developed by the lighting design team in collaboration with manufacturers enhances the sense of indoor space; The wall washing lamp enhances the overall brightness, while the tube lamp used for tracks creates the illusion of a higher ceiling. The lighting treatment in areas that need to be lit is very cautious and natural, improving visual comfort without visible light spots..
The flexibility of the lighting system, including easily repositioned spotlights, has achieved the key goal of reconfiguring 101 Goswell Road. This innovation was jointly developed by the lighting design team and the Analysis and Insight Department (ZHAI) of ZHA, a research group that utilizes data and artificial intelligence to predict future workspace design..
“In the past, office design used a one size fits all approach, but now this approach is completely outdated. Workspaces need to be adaptable, even in a short period of time, to accommodate differences in team collaboration styles,” said Ulrich Blum, the joint head of ZHAI. Therefore, the number of desks was reduced in the design,.
