With a focus on designing an innovative showcase workspace that embodies HKS’ ongoing commitment to Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) principles, the challenge lies in seamlessly integrating an open outdoor space within the HKS Mexico City office. This space must not only enhance the work environment for employees but also serve as an educational hub for clients on environmental stewardship. Moreover, it should foster collaboration with partners, facilitate networking opportunities and maintain the firm’s influence on local communities, all while supporting the ability to attract and retain top talent.
The design team was challenged to create a meaningful creative experience that builds values and actions to change architectural structures into breathing buildings that evoke the ¬values and passions of its occupants. The commitment to protect the planet starts with a personal relationship with nature that grows into a pursuit towards sustainable practices for built environments. To be creative, humans have evolved as part of nature, yet many urban environments are growing rapidly without a focus on biophilic partnerships. The entire floorplan is dedicated to the occupant’s comfort and satisfaction through feeling more connected to natural materials, circadian rhythms, and cycles of time and seasons.
The core values of this office design showcase sustainable breathable building strategies through thoughtful HVAC air ventilation systems, biodiverse landscapes, and biophilic green spaces. From the outdoor expansive live wall to the desk plant, this office engages an awareness in this community of fellow humans to live a more carbon neutral existence. In-take air flow keeps the building filtered from unhealthy contaminates. Synthetic material specifications like plastic laminates and nylon carpets were minimized, giving room for natural surfaces to symbolically communicate age, natural origin, and craft. For example, floors made of concrete speak to stone pebbles and dirt eroded from distant geological stone origins. Wood existed in nature as a growing tree is now an architectural artifact crafted by the hand of an artisan, carpenter, or cabinetmaker.
Sustainable progress is also intentional from a functional perspective. This office uses seamless technology and cloud based digital platforms to support flexible working anywhere anytime. The role of the office is no longer a container that is underutilized. Using a smaller footprint and digital equity, it accesses multisector and multigenerational global talent pools and brings them to the local community. This office now has a creative culture that encourages employees to transition from indoors to the outdoor patio throughout the day. The occupant’s feelings and moods, which affect their output, are taken into consideration. The resulting culture shift provides a positive and satisfying experience for team to find the space they need to be their most creative.
HKS Mexico City
Julie Hutchison & Jorge Bracho Marzal
Bronze

1 / 16

Arthur Guimarães
Chief Executive Officer
at Arthur Guimarães Architects
From my perspective, the aspect tha...
7
8.5
7
7.5
7.5

Wenqing Zhou
Founder
at Add Culture & Creative Development
8
8
8
8
8

Mark Eric Magno
Principal
at Aedas Interiors
I love how they blurred the outdoor...
6
7.5
6
8.5
7

Josse Popma
Partner
at Popma ter Steege Architects
Great space and way of handling wit...
6
7
7
3
5.75

Serhii Makhno
Founder
at MAKHNO Studio
7
6
8
7
7

Jessica Adkins
Brand Experience Design Lead Europe
at M Moser Associates
6
7
7
7
6.75

Xuechen Chen
Architectural Designer
at X.C Studio
7
7.5
7.5
7
7.25

Zizhao Li
Cofounder and Chief Designer
at DSC · Design
5
6.5
5
7
5.88

Burton Baldridge
Founder
at Baldridge Architects
I am taking your word for it on sus...
7
7
7
9
7.5

Mike McGirr
Managing Partner and Design Principal
at red design
5.94
7.2
6.39
8.36
6.97

Pooja Shah-Mulani
Partner and Design Director
at LW Design
6
7
5
5
5.75

Katie Mitchell
Managing Director
at Seen Studios
6
8
6
7
6.75

Suvi Saloniemi
Head of Exhibitions
at Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design Museum
5
5
5
5
5
.jpeg)
Harkaran Singh Boparai
Founder
at Space 5
7
8
7.5
7.5
7.5

Yan Zhang
Cofounder
at say architects
5.78
5.98
6.09
6.3
6.04

Anna Gitelman
Associate Professor
at Suffolk University
A thoughtful approach to a workplac...
6.5
7
7
7
6.88

Jianan Shan
Cofounder
at say architects
6.61
6.71
6.3
5
6.16
Client
HKS Inc.
Floor area
664 ㎡
Completion
2023
Budget
$2.0M
Finishes
Finishes
Finishes
Finishes
LATEST SUBMISSIONS
MORE PROJECTS-thumb.jpg)
Serenity in Simplicity
Silver

Author
Bronze

The Lightwell Dumbo
Bronze

A Piece of Cloth and One Line - IM MEN Reinterpreted
Silver
Bronze

SFEEL Design Hotel – Chunxi Road IFS
Silver

Aesop Store Las Salesas
Silver
-Scagliola-Brakkee-thumb.jpg)
The Magnum Ice Cream Company Headquarters
Silver

Sir Prague
Silver

Smith Teamaker Shibuya Tasting Room
Silver

Elbow Cay Residence
Bronze