White Paper

Originality, spatiality and functionality are the central themes of this project for Design Systems office in Hong Kong, conceveid like a leaf of white paper.

Every design begins with a blank sheet, ready for colours brought by every design decision.

In a stripped clean lobby stands a brass door behind which a 300-square-metre office full of crispy white daylight awaits. Inside, the ceilings, walls, pin boards and floors are all in white just to constitute a white world for designers.

The canvas-like interior materializes the design concept and creates opportunities for myriad exhibition of design process. As each project progresses, the walls and boards are covered with research, design sketches and presentations, recording the evolution and development of every design stage. Eventually, such accumulation of works can be compiled as the designers’ diary. Similarly, the white floors and brass door, a unique and daring attempt for robust daily use, collect the footprints and fingerprints from the staff and clients, witnessing the growth of the company.

Due to the chaotic routine of a design firm, the designers see the need for a new concept of working disposition, and come up with an ideal solution to two very contradicting needs – for maximum open surfaces to allow for mess (with “mess promoter”) and minimum exposure of such mess (with “mess concealer”). As a result, plentiful storage is made with an elasticity of display. Mess is readily covered up behind the sliding boards. In turn, these white covers exhibit the creative efforts at any given moment. The office will become a clean plate after each project, ready for a new one to commence.