Meet 2023 Next Work Environment Competition Office Building category winner, Alejandro Briceño of GBARQ and his Urban Oasis submission.
We connected with Alejandro to see how his submission has evolved since entering the competition:
Alejandro: Urban Oasis is a theoretical project that reflects our passion and interest in designing inspiring, productive, and healthy workspaces. Being recognized alongside internationally acclaimed companies and professionals reaffirms our commitment to creating work environments that have a positive impact on development, well-being, and people’s quality of life.
Participating in the Next Work Environment Competition has been highly rewarding, as our project was evaluated by a panel of prominent experts in workplace design. We believe the jury truly captured the essence of Urban Oasis, an office building located in a residential neighborhood in Lima. Our challenge was to present an innovative design proposal that stands out and is valued for its contribution of healthy spaces to the urban environment it resides in. Furthermore, we aimed to reflect both internally and externally our dedication to providing built environments that benefit the physical, emotional, and cognitive health of its occupants.
We extend our gratitude to Work Design Magazine for this fantastic opportunity to showcase projects focused on the future of work environments, and we look forward to participating in future calls for submissions.
Check out the slideshow, video and summary of the submission below:
This project was developed theoretically to obtain the degree of architect in 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic caused humanity to question its way of life in all areas, especially in health. At the corporate level, the offices were vacated as the main protection measure for workers against Covid-19.
In this sense, architecture was no stranger to this situation and the need to seek solutions that are aimed at encouraging a safe return to office buildings was evident, prioritizing the health and well-being of people and thus addressing it in a better way. The new post-pandemic normal.
This scenario motivated me to design and develop the project of an office building that demonstrates the concern to generate spaces that optimize the physical, emotional and cognitive health of its occupants. Even more so, when it is shown that the characteristics of a built space can affect the performance, mood and behavior of its occupants.
The project was located on an important commercial road that crosses a residential district in the city of Lima, so it was important that it be integrated into the surrounding urban environment, standing out for its architectural design and its contribution of healthy spaces to the city as an urban oasis.
The conceptualization of the architectural design was based on the formal definition of the volumetry, which resulted from taking into account some variables such as: the determination of pedestrian and vehicular access, the withdrawals by regulation and to favor natural lighting and cross ventilation, the heights allowed and the projection of terraces for offices. In addition, the architectural program of the project was elaborated with the purpose of projecting spaces that optimize the development of the activities of the occupants of the building, as well as their well-being and quality of life.
The building is made up of 5 floors plus a roof terrace and three basement levels for vehicle parking. On the first floor are located: two commercial premises, a restaurant and a service area, which includes: two multipurpose rooms, a private meeting room and restrooms. Nine real estate units intended for office use are distributed over the 4 upper floors, with floors of various configurations (flat and two-level). On the roof there is a cafeteria, a gym with a patio for outdoor training and a large terrace area for common use by the inhabitants of the building.
These are some of the design criteria that have shaped the project to enrich the relationship of the building with the user and the urban environment: spacious and naturally illuminated interior spaces for an adequate development of the various activities, a free area greater than those required by the regulations in order to locate green areas and spaces in the open air that promote activities of relaxation, recreation and socialization, the circulation spaces have been configured in such a way that they favor the orientation of the users of the building, all the offices will have a terrace for private use, among others.
Special thanks to our 2023 Innovative Brand Partners:
Special thanks to our 2023 Market Partners:
