Panel show: Dariel Studio redesigns Wieden+Kennedy’s Shanghai office

For the redesign of Wieden+Kennedy’s Shanghai office, Dariel Studio stripped back the existing office space revealing the raw structural materials, then added new functionality and a sculptural framework to unify and inspire the space.
At the core of the office, the symbol of the tree was used as a stylistic and conceptual design reference, reflecting the creativity and growth of the advertising agency – founded in 1982, Wieden+Kennedy now has eight international offices and a client base that includes major brands such as Nike, Heineken and Tiffany & Co.
An open plan work space is central to the office design
Over the existing central staircase of the three-storey office, Dariel Studio used overlapping split joint boards, criss-crossed horizontally and vertically to achieve a three-dimensional cubist formation, abstractly resembling the trunk and branches of a tree. This visual component of the office makes use of the open stairway to further unify the spaces across storeys, creating a compelling focal point.
Thomas Dariel, principal designer and founder of Dariel Studio, worked closely with Yang Yeo, creative director of Wieden+Kennedy, to reflect the working values and practices of the studio through the office design. Communicating directly with clients and visitors, a white logo mounted on black powder-coated steel plate is positioned at the entrance, which is located in a courtyard, while inside at the reception wooden panelling is warm and welcoming.
On the second floor, an open plan working space is central to the collaborative and creative working methods of the company. Either side, thoroughfares are raised slightly to separate foot traffic from the space. Communal spaces such as the pantry and the gym have panoptic windows which bright floods of natural light into the space, as well as wood and brick interior surfaces. Materiality and geometric patterning run through the office design and out on the the rooftop terrace where a marble semi-circular bar counter is lit up with LED lighting by night.
Interior design company Dariel Studio is based in Paris and Shanghai, and bring a blend of heritage and innovation to its designs across hospitality, commercial and residential projects
The entrance to the office is located inside a courtyard
Over the existing central staircase, Dariel Studio used overlapping split joint boards to achieve a three-dimensional cubist formation
The original structure of the building has been stripped back to reveal raw concrete
The sculptural design is an abstract focal point for the office
Custom made wooden shelving and panels are flexible to the office requirements
The ’pantry’ is kitted out with long tables and access to natural light
A rooftop space is also available for employees to use
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Dariel Studio website
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Harriet Thorpe is a writer, journalist and editor covering architecture, design and culture, with particular interest in sustainability, 20th-century architecture and community. After studying History of Art at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and Journalism at City University in London, she developed her interest in architecture working at Wallpaper* magazine and today contributes to Wallpaper*, The World of Interiors and Icon magazine, amongst other titles. She is author of The Sustainable City (2022, Hoxton Mini Press), a book about sustainable architecture in London, and the Modern Cambridge Map (2023, Blue Crow Media), a map of 20th-century architecture in Cambridge, the city where she grew up.
-
M&C Saatchi new Berlin office interiors embrace bold colour
The new M&C Saatchi interior by Llot Llov stays true to the city’s architecture while echoing the beauty of minimalist design
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Comme Si’s first store in Brooklyn is a design lover’s temple to socks
Sock and loungewear brand Comme Si launches a temporary Brooklyn store, a rich and inviting space created with designers Elias Studio, John Sohn and Yoonjee Kwak
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
Shop independent design from these online destinations
The best curated online platforms to shop independent design, from designers’ artworks to furniture by emerging creatives
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Forest Villa transforms an existing building shell into a minimalist villa engulfed in nature
Forest Villa by HAS is a minimalist home in suburban China, crafted in an existing building shell, and working with its idyllic natural context
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A Chinese island house brings luxury minimalism to seaside living
L House by AD Architecture is a Chinese island house that bridges luxury minimalism and seaside living
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
The Boatyard Hotel in Suzhou embraces the surrounding landscape
GOA and WJ Studio’s Boatyard Hotel in China takes its design cues from the nearby river
By Hannah Silver Published
-
A9a architects creates community driven timber market in Zhengzhou
Pulo Market by A9a architects injects soul into a commercial building in China's Zhengzhou
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts extension by Neri & Hu draws on urban monuments
The Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts extension by Neri & Hu brings together culture and retail in a sculptural terracotta-coloured structure
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Ma Yansong on global architecture and MAD’s year ahead
We talk to MAD’s Ma Yansong about his thriving studio, global architecture and the year ahead
By Magali Robathan Published
-
At home with Neri & Hu
Architectural super-pair Neri & Hu talk to us about what inspires them, what they are reading, and how they switch off
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
China’s Qingxi Culture and History Museum draws on its surrounding land
Qingxi Culture and History Museum by UAD is a cultural destination in China designed in harmony with its surroundings
By Ellie Stathaki Last updated