Our exciting new Headquarters in Milan has been designed to be a creative hub for sharing ideas and knowledge in relation to architecture, urbanism and design, as well as, an incubator for young professionals.

As a restored industrial complex, the huge 588 sqm workspace characterized by an imposing seven-bay barrel vault with arches and a large and bright central skylight. The office also includes a new events space for engaging the public, and the profession, through hosting a series of exhibitions, workshops and panel discussions.

A NEW MODEL FOR STUDY

The new Milan headquarters expresses a real new model of study, both in space and in the organization. The office is located in via Sciesa in Milan and is conceived as a "creative lab" of 1,600sqm, in which One Works aims to share its decades of national and international experience with the entire Italian production chain and with new generations of professionals.

Designed as a shared knowledge hub that reflects this rapidly growing international business, the new Headquarters will also be a place for comparison and aggregation by hosting research and development projects on materials and new technologies with the aim of reducing the time between design and product selection.

It is an inclusive space where the different disciplines of project management meet each other, facilitating contractors in the adoption of innovation in design, materials and technical solutions, and an "incubator" of ideas dedicated to the new generations of professionals attracted by One Works’ integrated approach to architecture and design that has made them famous in the world.

WORKSPACE AND EVENTS AREAS

As an industrial restoration project, the building is a large continuous space distributed across two levels that makes use of materials such as iron and glass. The large openplan work space is the protagonist of the ground floor and is characterized by an dramatic seven-span structure with arches, barrel vaults and a large, bright central skylight.

Down either side, glass "project rooms" have been created in between the arches; designed to host the teams operational meetings and the design and revision of projects and materials. They will each showcase the latest project development, as well as a cross-section of activities from various studies.

The spirit of the "creative hub" will be reflected in the industrial character of the building, the latter has also been the natural and original input of design and material choices.

FULL OF CHARACTER

The character of the building has been maintained throughout with the use of simple materials that could efficiently support the functional and essential needs of the space. The iron and glass skylight dominates the open space and dialogues with the side windows; the arched structure is respected and amplified by suspended lighting fixtures with direct and indirect emission; on the floor, the focus is on a textile material with homogeneous texture and colour and sound-absorbing properties, able to improve the acoustics of the large open space. The project rooms are then characterized by a poplar covering, a material that in its simplicity is able to create a welcoming environment suitable for hanging project drawings.

Particular attention has been paid to the acoustics and lighting of the spaces. In fact, the vaulted ceiling will be covered with plastered finished material with sound-absorbing properties, while an automation system will synchronise control the artificial lighting and the external shading system above the skylight.

To complete the space, medium-sized plants have been introduced among the posts, helping to create a comfortable environment that stimulates creativity.

A NEW SPACE FOR THE CITY: THE CREATIVE HUB

The upper floor has been conceived as an exciting new meeting place: a space dedicated to encourage dialogue with the community and the profession in Milan, which is increasingly becoming a main player in the European scene.

It is here that One Works will organize and host a range of training courses, workshops, events, exhibitions, with the aim of creating a meeting place for networking and knowledge sharing across the territory for both cultural and creative professionals, reflecting the image of a city that can and must increasingly become an attractive hub for international talent and investment.