Nowadays AI is so advanced that everything can be generated more efficiently, reshaping the workplace and making authentic experiences increasingly valuable. What truly makes people pause is the emotional connection a place can create.
Located in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, this headquarters workplace for a multinational chemical company combines an international contemporary character with the warmth of Lingnan culture. Guided by four themes—flexible workspaces, local identity, intergenerational care, and human-centered sustainability—the design integrates greenery, modular planning, comfortable furniture, and gentle lighting into areas for work, exchange, and brand presentation, creating a more comfortable experience for different users.
Cantonese culture is known for its pragmatic and inclusive spirit. The laid-back character of the region is reflected in “Dak Haan Jam Caa,” the Cantonese tradition of taking time out for tea. Baiyun Mountain carries Taoist traditions dating back to the Qin–Han period, as well as a literary history shaped by poets and scholars. Together, these local memories form an important cultural context for the design. The project also responds to Baiyun District’s role as a major transportation hub in the Pearl River Delta, balancing an international corporate image with local cultural identity.
The reception creates a clean and approachable first impression through gray aluminum composite panels, gradient-gray carpeting, and white and light wood-toned volumes. Warm wood tones offer a more welcoming interpretation of the conventional chemical workplace. The tea room introduces an Eastern sense of tranquility and extends the philosophy of “Dak Haan Jam Caa” into the workplace, preserving the cultural memory embedded in traditional Eastern aesthetics. An elevated balcony blurs the boundary between inside and outside, creating a relaxed space overlooking Baiyun Mountain.
The employee area features an open, modular office system, with greenery and banquette seating forming soft partitions that support flexible workstation layouts and encourage team collaboration. Comfortable furniture, gentle lighting, and greenery further create a softer and more human-centered everyday work environment.
In the showroom, the company’s brand story replaces the conventional cold image of the chemical industry, using a more narrative approach to present the people and history behind the company. In the context of generational succession common to many Chinese private enterprises, the exhibition traces the company’s development through stories and memories, allowing different generations to connect with its history and continuity. Conference and collaboration areas, together with circulation spaces, also support informal exchange, pause, and brand communication.
While meeting the functional needs of an international workplace, the design brings local ways of living into everyday work, creating an open, warm, and welcoming environment with a strong sense of belonging.
Design:
Design Team: Lin Yihang, Chen Wenjing
Contractor: Shenzhen Penghao
Photography: Jossy
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