Progres Atelier renovate AON office premises

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| 11 : 30 – 03 September, 2018 |

Progres Atelier renovated AON office premises within 1896 built historical building located in Wencelas square, Prague.

The building exterior and interiors boasts Neo-baroque style embellishments, while the refurbished office premises is detailed with modern facilities. Progres Atelier was extremely mindful of the value in old forms of architectural expression. Thus, instead of a complete overhaul, the designers carefully and delicately maintain the building’s original features. This preserves the strong sculptural identity in the historic building. In addition, to signify the progressive and innovative attitude of the business.

Neo-baroque style embellishments

The historic building’s exterior facade, Internal stairways

From the Architects –

Seat of AON Central and Eastern Europe, a.s. is located on a corner of main square in Wencelas Square, Prague. Our very first commission in historical neo-baroque building by Friedrich Ohman from 1896 was small task of lunch room refurbishment. Second assignment was design of a small part of office open space. While the third one was already a masterplan of the whole floor of 1100m2 total area. It included complete project documentation and supervision of the building process.

Entrance hall and reception desk

Master floor plan

Project requirements –

Client’s wishes were clearly formulated at the very beginning. Such as – create representative headquarters for international company including high quality workspace, sufficient opportunities for relaxation and appropriate facilities. Except for capacity, functional demands and emphasis on high quality materials no other precise requirements were set. This reliance on our skills and given freedom filled us with greater energy to face challenging quest of answering ambiguous questions.

Modern workspace

Tough nut to crack were above all non-standard spatial restrictions, implementation of modern technologies and contemporary ergonomic standards into historical environment. All this with utmost preservation of valuable craftsmanship and respect for the genius loci of the building on mind. Three basic motifs present in various forms, complement each other throughout whole floor plan are representation, work and relaxation.

Black sliding acoustic panels separate the large meeting room into small ones

First level –

Main representative area includes entrance hall with an exact brass prism of a reception desk and a giant cloud-like light. Main meeting room for 36 people can be divided into three separate rooms thanks to specially developed sliding acoustic panel system.

VIP meeting room, Video conferencing room

VIP meeting room is dominated by a majestic circular high polished palisander table and large cocoon like chandelier woven from a single thread. Chandelier was delivered to its place at night with a help of climbers and architects. Extraordinary acoustic quality of all meeting rooms is ensured by special custom made upholstered cassettes.

Second level –

On the second level we looked at the office space itself, particular workspace features and diversity of working environments. All work spaces are equipped with ergonomic adjustable tables. Open space is illuminated by subtle light profiles controlled by intelligent systems. It has the ability to vary the degree of direct and indirect components of light.

Table with trees in between open office space

Green wall

Spatial acoustics is provided by suspended ceiling panels. The environment is completed with green walls and trees growing directly from four meter long wooden parquet table. For a brief meeting, each employee can use upholstered meeting points mounted on walls of main corridor.

Phone boxes

Phone calls can be made in a phone box and for short meetings serves the micro office, both glass and raw steel covered objects embedded in the former door opening. Additionally there is a number of smaller meeting rooms throughout the whole area.

Informal small meeting points along the corridor

Thirdly, diversity of spaces is extended by offering various relaxation areas. These areas are small, but very important, precisely located spots on an acupunctural map of the floor plan. Inside the newly designed lunch room, colleagues meet at wooden table with benches over a cup of fresh self-made coffee or at lunch.

Lunch room for office staff has a mezzanine level seating, The coffee counter

They also have an opportunity to find more private spot on a balcony made of white perforated sheet metal. It is surrounded by soft light of origami – like pendant lights.

Origami-like pendant lights

Lounge serves as a chill out zone, a place for informal meetings or as a mini cinema during engaging sport broadcasts. Wellbeing, a room hidden behind a moss covered wall, offers space for meditation, focus, privacy and most precious element – silence. Five meter high circular space made of wooden profiles is also used for exercise. Once in a week there is a day reserved for massages.