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GARDE’s Executive Officer & Director Christopher Brooks Discusses the Future of Office Design Post-COVID 19 in Japan Times Interview

GARDE Executive Officer and Director Christopher Brooks was invited as a guest speaker at the talk event “Sustainable Japan Roundtable” hosted by The Japan Times, in which he discussed the future of office design POST-Covid 19, based on his wealth of experience in office design.

As the world is forced to fight the novel corona virus, Christopher feels that what workers want in an office is changing. It’s not just about being functional, but more about what you do there. At the same time, ABW (Activity-based Working) is also advancing. In the past, offices were divided into departments, and people usually worked in a limited space, but now there is no need to create such distinctions or boundaries, and people are realizing that freeing themselves from their desks is a natural progression. With ABW, offices can be designed according to what people do, and 100% remote work is now possible, allowing people to work more and more efficiently.

Eventually, the office will become a place for teams to collaborate and communicate, and the place to concentrate on work will be at home or somewhere other than the office. At the same time, however, we must never forget the importance of our co-workers, and that is what makes us feel part of the organization. It is very important to communicate with your colleagues on a regular basis so that you do not feel isolated.

Some people who have become accustomed to working remotely move to areas where rent is cheaper, and they can enjoy a more relaxed lifestyle. However, housing in Japan is generally small, and there are a certain number of people who prefer to do their work outside the home. In response to this trend, “coworking spaces” such as those operated by WeWork have expanded. But of course, there is a limit to the number and scale of such spaces, so some companies are considering setting up satellite offices where their staff can easily commute.

For future office design, he offers three important guidelines.

Develop an internal infrastructure that can handle the spread of remote work.
The office should be flexible. We still do not know what the future holds for Corona. It is important to be able to respond to a variety of scenarios.
A new way to evaluate employees. In the past, coming to work was the norm, so being in the office was important, but from now on, we need to evaluate employees based on their performance.

Providing a hygienic and safe working environment is also a very important point that has spread rapidly in the Corona disaster. There are many other issues that need to be addressed, such as ventilation, air purification systems, sterilization, and physical distance.

In the post-corona world, while many cultural and logistical issues have arisen, Christopher concludes that in these challenges we are in turn forced to look for opportunities to make fresh innovations in both design and work culture at large. In doing so, we can look at this changing environment as an exciting new frontier in which, through trial and error, new and exciting discoveries can be made.

An example of an office social space from one of Christopher’s past design projects. A patterned rustic rope communication kiosk is placed at the center surrounded by graphics inspired by the blooming of iris flowers during the rainy season.
Photo Credit: Nacasa & Partners

Christopher Brooks

International Design Division, General Manager, Design Director, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Master’s degree in Architecture. He has experience in retail, office and residential design in the United States, Japan and Asia. His key projects are the restaurant ADD in Marco Polo Hotel Hong Kong, Bandai Namco Studios Headquarters, adidas Japan Headquarters (Asia Pacific Property Awards) and MetLife Japan Headquarters (Herman Miller Liveable Office Award, IDA Gold & Silver awards).

Click here for more of the Sustainable Japan Roundtable by The Japan Times
https://sustainable.japantimes.com/roundtable/07

Click here for the archived video.
https://youtu.be/HH7k9FaXeu8

Gurney Food Hall, one of the largest and hottest dining establishments in popular tourist destination Penang, Malaysia

Project

GARDE designed the interiors of Gurney Food Hall, a new upmarket dining establishment at Gurney Plaza, one of the biggest and most popular shopping malls in popular tourist destination Penang, Malaysia. GARDE was also awarded the “Asia Pacific Property Awards 2021-2022” under the category of Interior Design/Leisure Interiors.

Opened in October 2020, Gurney Food Hall is fast gaining popularity as Penang Island’s largest and most exclusive dining establishments, with a maximum capacity of 600 people, making it one of the most talked about restaurant mall in the world. Located in the Straits of Malacca, western of the Malay Peninsula, Penang Island has long been a port of call for trading ships and is one of the most important gathering places in Southeast Asia. Penang has a rich and diverse culinary scene and is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top culinary destinations.

The theme for the design of the new food hall features history of the city and its food culture are deeply intertwined. It was designed to create a sophisticated space that conveys the culture, food and art of Penang Island. Garde decided to divide the space into four zones: the Wharf, the Harbour, the Palm and the Patio, all of which are icons of the city and symbols of its success and development.

The “Wharf Zone” is the first place where traders set foot on Penang Island. The cool, crisp blue of the sea and the arched entrance provides a nice welcome to its guests. The ‘Harbour Zone’, a bustling and vibrant area symbolizes the industrial heart of Penang. The “Palm Zone” represents the rich nature of Penang with traditional handicrafts that translate into a warm and serene space. Finally, the ‘Patio Zone’ is an inviting area bathed in sunshine. Whichever zone one visits, one is assured of a pleasurable experience including outstanding meals with a taste of Penang’s scenery.

The Wharf showcase contemporary street lamps and building signs

The Port is adorned with a nautical motif

The Palm features lush trees and rattan lamps that give a native feel

The Patio presents a grand abstract wooden obche with light curtains

Winner of the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2021!
Interior Design category Leisure Interior category

About the Asia Pacific Property Awards
The Asia Pacific category of the International Property Awards, organised by International Property Media Ltd. It is the most prestigious and widely recognised design award in Asia. Now in its 27th year, the awards recognise excellence in commercial and residential real estate in 25 countries and territories in the Asia Pacific region in categories such as Development, Architecture and Interior Design. Around 80 experts rigorously judge the entries, focusing on design, quality, service, innovation, originality and commitment to sustainability.

Scope of work
Concept planning, basic planning, basic design, implementation design, design supervision

Property Information,
Gurney Food Hall
Opening date: 15 October 2020
Location: 4th Floor Gurney Plaza, Gurney Drive, 10250 George Town, Penang Malaysia
Structure: 4 floors above ground (4th floor)

Tokyo Tatemono, Project to Relocate Head Office – New style office where lively workers generate a new energy.

Project

In 2020, GARDE was involved in the relocation project of Tokyo Tatemono’s head office, and was responsible for concept planning, basic and implementation design, as well as project management. Located in front of the Yaesu Exit of Tokyo Station of the former company’s headquarters, it has become the new target for a large-scale redevelopment project. The company decided to relocate its head office functions to the Tokyo Tatemono Yaesu Building and will take approximately five years until completion. Tokyo Tatemono has been providing offices for various large-scale projects based in the city center, situated in middle of the global city of Tokyo.

GARDE’s concept of office design
Last year, the concept of “redesigning the way we work,” was launched and started in 2019. Garde’s objective was to take the concept of ABW (Activity Based Working), which has been popular in Japan since around 2018 and take it a step further and embody it into office design.

Companies are expected to provide a comfortable environment for better work-life balance, or more specifically, their QOL, and enable them to perform at a higher level. This will lead to improved productivity and business performance, and ultimately to the realization of sustainability as a company. Garde designs the office in such a way that each employee can excel and their energy and productivity can influence other team members and departments to create new value and evolve as individuals.

Design Concept
What GARDE proposed for Tokyo Tatemono is an office that creates a new “flow”; a small but vigorous flow that starts with an individual or a small team, that will become an even larger flow involving those around it. The value created by this flow will ripple out into the city, and eventually return from the city to the office, which is the underlying image of this design.

The mechanisms for creating flow are arranged in a variety of ways. Not only are there free-address desks in the department available, but there are also several spaces that can be used for multiple purposes, rather than simply allowing people to freely choose their seats. For example, by removing barriers and creating free lines of flow, some areas are open so more interaction and cooperation can naturally occur, while others can be made to be moderately closed off in order to enhance focus and concentration.

Atelier Zone
Work can be done in a space that inspires creativity, surrounded by bookshelves lined with specialized texts.

Park Zone
Adding greenery to the space, giving the comfort of being in a park and induce imagination

Scandiamoss
A wall of soothing natural moss creates a relaxing space and enables communication that transcends barriers

Concentration booths
Quiet booths that block out sound increase concentration and work efficiency

Creating a comfortable space based on data
Another feature of this office is that, not only is it beautiful and comfortable from a sensory point of view, but its layout and capacity have been determined based on data-based analysis. For this office relocation project, Tokyo Tatemono conducted a survey of the hourly attendance rate of employees, the distribution of where they tend to stay, and the occupancy rate of conference rooms, including an online questionnaire for employees. By incorporating various indicators into a matrix, Garde was able to survey each space and uncover problem areas. By reflecting the results of this analysis in the design, Garde produced a more effective work environment, providing a space that matches the actual situation.

Scope of work
Concept planning, basic planning, basic design, implementation design, supervision
Scope of floors: 2F, 3F, 5F, 7F, 8F, 9F, 10F (*Floors 2F, 3F, and 5F are partial)

Property Information
Location: Tokyo Tatemono Yaesu Building, 1-4-16 Yaesu, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Scale: 10 floors above ground, 2 floors below ground
Area occupied by Tokyo Tatemono: 7,678.44m2
Relocation Period: From May to September 2020
Number of Tokyo Tatemono workers: approx. 570

UNESCO Heritage Sites to Visit when Travel Allows

Trend

Our travel bucket lists are put on hold for a while due to the global pandemic, and as lockdowns are slowly lifting, and as countries will hopefully begin reopening their borders, we are all looking forward to traveling again. This experience teaches us to be mindful of our environment and how we can create a catalyst in preserving cultural heritage for the next generation to explore.

Enjoy a relaxing and environmentally conscious stay by visiting these UNESCO Heritage sites that can inspire your next adventure when travel permits, featuring outstanding architectural wonders of cultural and historical value.

Taj Mahal India

A symbolic icon of India’s affluent history, the embodiment of Mughal architecture at its finest, this ivory-white mausoleum, with its bizarre luster and texture, is a true “monument of love” built by Shah Jahan to mourn the death of his beloved wife. The monument covers an area of 42 acres surrounded by lush green gardens, lovely pools, and fountains.

The chief designer of this mesmerizing union of Indian, Islamic, and Persian architectural styles was Ustad Ahmad, who was an architect in the court of Shah Jahan from Lahore. ‘A teardrop on the cheek of eternity’ is how the famous Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore described one of the most fascinating architectural marvels in the world.

Kiyomizu-dera (Japan)

One of the most visited and celebrated temples in Kyoto named after a sacred waterfall located on the hillside which means “Pure Water Temple” (Kiyo-mizu-dera). It features a distinctive wooden stage complex made of 168 pillars and offers an exceptional panoramic view of Kyoto rising from a sea of maple trees.

The main sanctuary of this temple is what makes it iconic. The wooden structure of this building that overhangs the mountain is called “Kiyomizu no Butai”. The worship hall is supported underneath by a complex weave of wooden beams. One of the highlights of Kiyomizu-dera is the Koyasu, a notable three-story pagoda inspired by Momoyama architecture, originally designed to house sacred texts and relics.

Potala Palace (Tibet)

The historic ensemble of the Potala Palace symbolizes the pinnacle of Tibetan architecture with gold roofs soar high above the town and rise more than 300 meters above the bottom of the valley. Situated on the red hill in the northwest of Lhasa, this grand architectural heritage site covers an area of over 360,000 square meters and is a complex of palaces, castles, and temples which is at the highest elevation, of the largest scale, and is the most well-preserved.

The main structure measures 400 meters by 350 meters. Its sloping stone walls covered in clay aver 3 to 5 meters thick. Molten copper was poured into the foundations in order to protect the building against earthquakes.

Angkor Wat (Cambodia)

Angkor Wat, a classic example of Khmer architecture consisting of pyramids and concentric corridors, is located deep in the Cambodian forest and its magnificent spires are the pride of Cambodia.

Angkor Wat sits in the midst of a vast archaeological complex of more than 400 square kilometers, and its hundreds of ruins use about 10 million pieces of stone weighing 1.5 tons, more than the pyramids of Egypt. The iconic lotus-shaped skyscrapers, vast walls, and endless corridors are adorned with ornate carvings. These sculptures represent historical events and folklore stories of Angkor Wat. The World Heritage Site is not only a global masterpiece that combines human creativity and cultural significance, but also a way to boost tourism and the local economy.

The World Heritage Site is not only a global masterpiece that combines human creativity and cultural significance, but also a way to boost tourism and the local economy.

Sources:

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/252/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiyomizu-dera
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potala_Palace
https://www.britannica.com/place/Angkor

The Royal Park Canvas Ginza 8 – A place where people gather to create something new

Project

The Royal Park Canvas Ginza 8 was designed by GARDE with the aim of stylizing common areas of the hotel. The concept lies in the creation of a canvas, a meeting place where creations are made when people gather. They prefer not to call it a hotel, as they envision the space to be non-traditional, having its own style and formality. They see this as a meeting point where a masterpiece is created simply by being there.

2F CANVAS LOUNGE

M2F FLAVORS & SOUND CULTURE LOUNGE

Co-working spaces have now become the new standard in today’s dynamic working environment. Since its opening, Canvas has provided a high-quality and comfortable space where people can spend their time working and being creative.

Ms. Hiroko Seki, General Manager, shares how customers are actually using the space and the current initiatives:

“The Royal Park Canvas Ginza 8 celebrated its second anniversary last March 20, 2021. We are grateful to our guests from Japan and overseas, our partner companies, the local community, and all of our hotel staff for helping us reach this milestone despite a being in difficult times due to the pandemic. Our brand, Canvas, is an innovative hotel concept within Royal Park Hotels.

Our team does not wear uniforms or have to conform to any style as we adapt the Canvas philosophy of fun, localization and connection. Our staff believes in having fun while working and creating fresh ideas every day to make the hotel a better place to stay. In the first year of operation, we held regular events as a place for guests to connect and continue to with events for networking and content sharing. Currently, as a place to connect online, we hold events mainly on Instagram on an irregular basis.

In this significant time of the ‘new normal‘, I am looking forward to seeing what more we can do in the future. In spite of the challenges in the tourism industry and global economy, we will continue to put safety and security first but never forget to have fun, so we hope you will continue to visit The Royal Park Canvas Ginza 8.“

13F CONCEPT ROOM

Work description: Hotel common area design

The Royal Park Canvas Ginza 8
Opening date: Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Location: 8-9-4 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Structure and scale: Steel-framed structure, 14 floors above ground, 47.7 meters high
Number of guest rooms: 121 (floors 3-13)
Ancillary facilities: 1st floor cafe, 2nd floor lounge, private kitchen, music library, fitness gym, 13th floor concept room, 14th floor restaurant