Stone Designs’ luminously white new studio-cum-showroom, which it recently opened in central Madrid, faithfully reflects its creators’ aims.
From the start, the idea was to create a neutral, inspiring, relaxing space resembling a blank canvas so that when those working there look up from their sketchpads, they don’t see obvious references which might influence their projects. Moreover, the aim was to ceate a space which would evoke nature.
Seen from the street, the building is fronted by a tall window framed in wood in front of which stand monumental steel trees painted white which beckon passers-by into the forest-like interior where flora and fauna harmoniously coexist. On entering the space, the first thing you encounter is a ramp intersected by two spaces used as meeting rooms with sofas and low-level tables. Here, there’s also a wooden chest of drawers that appears to fly over a platform behind which is the reception.
From one of these platforms an unusual metal staircase rises steeply. This gives access to a mezzanine supported by white metal trees whose branches have green bud-like tips as if to suggest they’re constantly flowering. In the ‘shade’ of these trees is a huge meeting table which everyone sits around to share their experiences and voice their everyday concerns in a friendly, chilled atmosphere.
At Stone Designs, the belief is that for a team to work well together it can’t limit itself to being a group of colleagues but needs to involve more personal contact so people bond and share the same concerns and goals. This in turn ensures that their projects will be successful.
Lamps shaped like bent branches, crowned by white metal shades which cast a warm glow over the work areas at night, demarcate the different workstations. And to provide a focal point at the end of the room, and separate the working area from a meeting room also at the far end, stands a large cloud-shaped screen which emits a gentle blue light. This encourages the studio’s designers to give their imagination free rein – and reminds them that it’s essential to keep an open mind if ideas are to flow freely.
Lining part of the walls is what the studio calls ‘by yourshelf’ – booskshelves which provide all the studio’s necessary storage space, not only for all things admin-related but also for books, catalogues and so on.
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