A Pocket Park: Redefining Office Spaces as Dream Bases

Creating a Multifunctional Public Space for Communities

Located in the Minsheng community, the first urban planning model community in 1960 Taipei, this project seeks to reclaim the shared garden that was originally designed as a transition zone. Over the years, this space had been converted into parking and private areas. GuoyangHuang's design intervenes by opening up the private courtyards and creating a public space that serves as a dream base for office users and a gathering spot for the community.

What sets this project apart is its focus on not only designing an office but also creating a dream base. By retreating the building line and opening up the private space, the design provides an intimate gathering space and a public green landscape for both the urban communities and office users. Through these gentle transformations, the project is tailored to the site, building a sense of place, and realizing the company's brand value.

The design language of the pocket park incorporates monochrome natural materials such as stone, concrete, granite, and warm-toned wood. By extending the existing urban park into the neighborhood, the transition zone is bounded by buildings, set back from the street, and slightly elevated but not enclosed. This space provides a more intimate and enjoyable sensory experience with its natural stone walls, plants, and a waterfall. A Chinese Fringe-tree planted in the central area, surrounded by a linear pool, offers dappled shade and a different perspective in each season, enhancing the sensory experience.

With a project size of 170 square meters, this pocket park challenges the traditional mindset of Taiwanese people that values land ownership above all else. By breaking this mindset, the design provides a multifunctional public space that benefits the community and office users alike. The office is no longer just a workspace but a dream base that connects with the surrounding environment.

Through this project, GuoyangHuang blurs and opens the boundary between public and private space, combining interior and landscape design. By stitching the dream base into the Minsheng community's daily life, the project explores the role it can play in the development of the area and the benefits it can offer to both the office users and the community at large.

The project, which started in 2019 and was completed in December 2019, has successfully built a sense of place and created a different experience of networking in the community. By challenging traditional notions of office design and embracing the concept of a dream base, GuoyangHuang has created a unique and innovative space that fosters collaboration and connection.

This exceptional design has been recognized with the Bronze A' Design Award in the Interior Space, Retail, and Exhibition Design category in 2021. This prestigious award acknowledges the outstanding creativity and ingenuity of the design, which incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology. By contributing to quality of life improvements, this project exemplifies how design can make the world a better place.