Symbiotic Sustainability: A New Vision for Office Design

Designer Hsu Fu Chu's Award-Winning Approach to Merging Nature and Workspace

The inspiration for Symbiotic Sustainability came from the desire to remind everyone in the office of the symbiotic and sustainable relationship humans should have with nature. The office design, filled with natural elements, is a constant reminder of the need to care for, love, and protect nature. This is not just an aesthetic choice, but a statement on the role of design in promoting environmental consciousness.

What sets Symbiotic Sustainability apart is its transformation from an old office representing decades of hard work to a new space that is healthy, bright, and filled with greenery. Both the indoor space, full of humanistic charm, and the outdoor space, decorated with green landscapes, show a deep care for nature. This design is not just about creating an efficient workspace, but also about creating a space that respects and integrates with the natural world.

The realization of this design involved careful selection of construction materials. Light colors were chosen to protect the eyes during long hours of work, and high-end plastic carpets were used in the conference area to reduce floor noise and dust mites. The office is also equipped with an advanced heat exchanger that filters out PM2.5 particles, ensuring better air quality for everyone.

The office, which is 500 square meters, is divided into front, middle, and rear areas. These include the conference area, reading area, and work booths, all designed to increase productivity for employees who need to work alone and create a collaborative space for conferences. The outdoor space, which is designed as part of the community park, and the large floor-to-ceiling windows harmonize the natural views with the working environment.

The project, which was completed on the 26th of October 2017 in Taichung City, Taiwan, faced several challenges. One of the main challenges was the need for proper storage for numerous books. The solution was to construct book walls, which not only satisfied the storage need but also added an aesthetic element to the design. The result is an office space that is not only functional and efficient but also a testament to the symbiotic and sustainable relationship that should exist between humans and nature.