The transition from ‘made in China’ to ‘designed in China’, forces companies to rethink their activities and work methods. Hence, the Chinese office is facing dramatic changes. Unpredictable organizations, new types of work and the impact of technology alter the 21st century office in a major way.

For the headquarters of car company MINTH, MORE designed a radical new office typology. MORE proposed a design strategy, not based on program, but on embracing change. The design maximizes the contrast between the fixed items (screens, storage, pantries, printers) and the flexible ones (people) through a system of walls: the barcode.

These ‘bars’ are fixed; the spaces in between can densify and change over time – depending on the development of the activities of the company, creating a crossover between the traditional cell office and the office landscape typologies.

MINTH HQ contains several ‘specials’ to stimulate collectivity. The circular lecture room allows a speaker to stand in the middle of his audience, and the listeners to see each other. The green lobby creates a lush environment where workers can unwind. The ‘war rooms’ create confidential brainstorm areas. Informal zones with dedicated designed furniture create space for spontaneous meetings.

The industrial materials – steel, glass, aluminium – and the flawless, grid-like organization, reflect MINTH’s industrial background and express this firm’s spirit and ambition in being a leading high tech company.