When Asylum was asked to design the Shanghai office of Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), the project brief was to create an exciting and inspiring workplace that could cater to the different and growing needs of the agency. Located in the heart of Shanghai, the 12,000 sq ft office had to represent the spirit of the creative agency with an interior that was edgy, conducive and tinged with fun.

Asylum began the design process by interviewing the client to “understand their DNA and the needs of their growing company”. Says Mr Lee, “It was important for us to have a view of the agency’s vision and ambition before we started our brainstorming. After that, we surveyed the site for its limitations and potential before formulating a brief. Because BBH is a global network, we wanted the Shanghai office to reflect the essence of the city so as to project a unique local voice.”

After the brainstorming sessions, several directions were conceived and further refined before Asylum finally presented two ideas to the client. Inspired by the hurried state of development that is Shanghai, Asylum wanted to design the BBH office as a catalyst for social commentary, with a raw, under-construction design language that echoed the city’s evolution juxtaposed with the creative surroundings.

The client loved the concept immediately as it was edgy, playful, creative and unique to Shanghai. They were also very receptive to the key proposal to remove one-third of the second floor to create a void that could connect two floors. This issue became the breakthrough moment of the project when the authorities gave permission to remove part of the floor on the second level so that the meeting rooms concept could be executed. Says Mr Lee, “Without approval from the authorities, we would definitely have had to change a big part of the concept.”

The resulting space combines unfinished wood with industrial elements such as raw concrete, exposed beams and fluorescent lights that synthesise with each other to emphasise the industrial rawness of the interior. Says Mr Lee, “We managed to hit all the key notes in BBH’s brief and delivered above their expectations.”

In stark contrast to the austere backdrop, strong, cheerful graphic prints bring a fresh touch to the space. Big, bold maps showing the locations of BBH’s international offices are splashed on cabinets to bring the work areas to life. The meeting rooms are designed to resemble a half torn-down house with different rooms themed to replicate parts of an actual home, from a kitchen to a child’s room and even a bathroom.

The inherent contrast between the bursts of colour and the severe backdrop serve to start a dialogue born from the design language, one that transforms the BBH office into a platform for social commentary. The end result is the physical manifestation of the BBH spirit, the expression of an agency that is essentially a creative incubator.