A space to work, but also to relax. Or is it a space to celebrate? Or perhaps to learn or to connect? It doesn’t really matter, because versatility and multifunctionality are the foundations of the contemporary concept of corporate space, guiding the creation of the Espaço de Convivência (Community Space) at Palácio Austregésilo de Athayde, a project run by the Brazilian Academy of Letters (ABL) in downtown Rio de Janeiro and managed by Engepred.
Located on the mezzanine floor of the development in a 185 m² area , the new space, which opened on the 15th, includes a rest area filled with sofas, tables that serve as workstations, and bleachers for small events or presentations, with charging stations. According to the architect behind the project, Márcio Aurélio Cunha, “the goal is to meet the new paradigm of corporate spaces, offering users an infrastructure that enables a wide variety of ways to work, an environment for moments of decompression, and that also facilitates interaction between people.”
With this new development, the development adds another differentiator for its tenants, in line with workplace trends. The workplace, in turn, is challenged by the transformations accelerated by the COVID 19 pandemic. While employers around the world want the return of in-person work, some employees reject the idea, especially in Brazil. Therefore, this isn’t just a differentiator or something complementary, but a strategic issue.
According to the study, ” Working from Home Around the World ,” published by a team of economists, including Nicholas Bloom of Stanford University in the United States, 22% of professionals in Brazil reported that if their company required them to return to in-person work five days a week, they would resign immediately or look for a new job that allowed them to work from home . Furthermore, they were willing to reduce their earnings by up to 7.3% to continue working from home.
In this scenario, investing in employee well-being within buildings becomes a fundamental action. Part of the challenge for managers is to transform the physical work environment into a space for experiencing the brand, a point of contact with the corporate culture, where a sense of belonging can be generated or rekindled—where people see a reason to be there and, more than that, a desire to be there. Being able to work in a company that aligns with this purpose makes all the difference.
What is the living space?
The common area is a communal area designed to allow building users to spend quality time away from their private office spaces. The Palace’s managers sought to transform a previously underutilized mezzanine into a multipurpose space, adapting to each person’s needs, whether for a meeting, a lunch break, or recharging their batteries to continue working.
In the Palace’s common area, the user is the protagonist. “The main idea was to create a multidisciplinary space that could offer multiple uses for all ages,” explains Cunha, who has worked on several corporate projects, including COO – Porto Novo, Grupo Alliance, and Energia Sustentável do Brasil (ESBR).
Functional and practical furniture
To bring this diversity of functions, the project focused on functional and comfortable corporate furniture,which would allow not only for different uses, but also for different layouts , considering the speed at which businesses need to adapt to keep up with demands.
It’s even possible to host events with a significant number of attendees, as furniture can be removed fromthe location and relocated later. The only permanent fixture is the bleachers. This opportunity for employee interaction can even cement a culture of collaboration and strengthen the companies based there. Furthermore, furniture and materials that are easy to maintain and clean were chosen, focusing on practicality and even health and safety. The surfaces of tables and chairs, for example, are easy to clean because they are non-porous.
Valuing origins
The design of the space was based on the attributes that already distinguish the development—historic architecture with a privileged view of one of Rio’s main tourist attractions—Guanabara Bay and Sugarloaf Mountain. “We chose materials that already characterize the building, such as concrete, steel, and glass, used in a way that respects the site’s primary structure. Even the existing electrical infrastructure was utilized to minimize interventions for installing new systems,” says Cunha.
The architect also took advantage of the site’s ample natural light, as well as the views of the building’s surroundings, to create a beautiful environment and maximize the feeling of comfort, creating a pleasant atmosphere for employees. “In short, the project strives to enhance the space itself, within a unique building, enhancing a location already known for its grandeur and architectural qualities,” concludes the architect.
Appreciation of cultural heritage
A project for a Brazilian Academy of Letters project couldn’t leave out a tribute to literature. Hence the idea of creating a reading corner, where you’ll find bookshelves. The space also functions as a small library: people can read publications on the spot or borrow them to take home.
As an ABL building, the space also serves the social function of promoting culture, serving as another tool for the institution to foster literary knowledge. To this end, it features a connected gallery. According to Georgia Mantovani, an engineer involved in the project, the space’s concept aligns with the Academy’s identity and values. “One of the ABL’s goals is to bring users closer and value human beings. They’re investing to demonstrate that the building can be a place to share and develop ideas.”
End-to-end flexibility
From a strategic perspective , the living space is part of a set of actions that aim to maintain and even increase the value of the real estate development, keep it attractive and competitive and add sustainability, in accordance with ESG principles (acronym in English for environmental, social and governance). The transformations in the layouts of the rooms available for rent in the building, with the creation of furnished, ready-to-use office options, spaces with ready-made infrastructure and customized workplace projects , in addition to the corporate slabs, are examples of the ability to make quick decisions that make the project highly flexible and modern, meeting the needs of diverse company profiles and budgets.
From a sustainability perspective, the Palácio Austregésilo de Athayde has embraced the free energy market, generating efficiency, high performance, and cost reduction. It also features a water reuse system, electric car charging space, and selective waste collection. It is currently undergoing a LEED certification process—an American standard for sustainable development, adopted worldwide by more than 160 nations.
