The design of Swarovski's Shanghai office uses light and crystal to realize a work environment with the same level of sophistication and elegance as the renown jewelry company's products.

iDA Workplace was tasked with the design of the Swarovski offices, an Austrian jewelry company, located in Shanghai, China.

The beauty of crystal lies in its capacity to come alive when touched by shining light, the way in which the reflected light suggests endless possibilities.

With Swarovski’s Shanghai office design, iDA started with the light as a concept. We based the design in dynamic light and chose that as the main design language. We then focused on how light passes through a prism and refracts in infinite ways. The design builds on light and refraction to integrate a variety of creative elements that suggest being inside of a crystal.

Crisp, white features combine with abstract geometric patterns to present a clean and concise aesthetic in the lobby. The lines of the reception desk and the intersecting lines on the walls suggest the cuts on a crystal. The staircase that connect the two floors of office space finds crystals embedded in each stair. The addition of crystals and white light create a sense of occasion and elegance when moving between floors.

The stark contrast between the black of the ceiling and the “light beam” that runs throughout the space amplifies the light and projects it onto the floor. The polished floors reflect the light back into the air, creating spaces that suggest being surrounded by light from all angles. The semi-open conference room is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass that is etched with geometric patterns, again suggesting the cut lines of a crystal.

iDA looked at the “uninhibited dance of light in the crystal” as the inspiration for the design of the interior working spaces. The intersecting lines create a smooth flow through the office as people move from one area to another. Representing Swarovski’s “Everyday Extraordinary,” employees are welcomed to spend every day working in an extraordinary space that shines with light.

Design: iDA Workplace

Photography: Highlite Images

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