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SPOTLIGHT

BEST FOOT FORWARD

Chilean practice Oarquitectos reimagines
the workplace for Adidas in Santiago.

or global sports brand Adidas, which operates in the super- Another effective visual cue are the exposed ceilings showing
competitive sneaker market, there is a constant need to present electrical wiring grouped into 3 channels, a nod to the three-
Fa modern, cutting-edge image. From its extensive range of stripe Adidas logo. Conference rooms, meanwhile, feature sports
footwear to its sporting apparel lines, the German multinational references, including custom lighting that recalls the stitched panels
is careful to develop looks that are fresh and on trend in hopes of on a football. The same meeting room has a curved bench inspired
resonating with the buying public. That same approach applies by stadium seating.
internally as the company seeks to foster a vibrant working atmosphere. For the reception area, a fundamental space for first impressions,
the Chilean architect highlighted the entrance with Corian® Solid
For the firm’s Chilean division, the company wanted to make a Surface. The thermoformed reception desk, with its sharp angles,
statement to its employees and visitors with a new head office and walls are in the Glacier White color, with the latter used to
in Santiago that would communicate this philosophy. Adidas recreate the map of Santiago across three custom panels.
approached Chilean architecture practice Oarquitectos to come up For Redondo Schmitt, there was only one choice when it came
with an inspiring space for employees. to crafting the main features of the reception area: Corian® Solid
Surface. “When it comes to special furniture and iconic design,
The challenge facing the design team was how to link four disconnected it works perfectly with the imagination.” Corian® Solid Surface
areas in the building housing the Adidas office. With the help of clever reappears in another key area: the reception desk where the
design cues, and customizable materials like Corian® Solid Surface, the CEO works. Here, the design team went with softer edges to
architects overcame the hurdles in front of them. match a wall display showing Adidas footballs from past sporting
competitions such as the World Cup.
Included in the brief to architects were keywords such as “speed,” “Corian® Solid Surface was the perfect material because of the Adidas
“open source” and “collaboration.” Running with these ideas from aesthetics – white is very important to their concept. We were going
the client, Oarquitectos founder Pablo Redondo Schmitt laid down for a mostly white environment with some colors in order to create
multi-toned carpeting in a linear pattern, including a bright blue personality in special spaces. The great thing is the material allows
racing stripe that acts as a wayfinder, to project movement. “We us to create freely.”
wanted a contemporary look,” says Redondo Schmitt. “The average
Oarquitectos, oarquitectos.cl
age of employees was 24 so we wanted it to be bold.” Fabrication of Corian® by CDiseño

OPPOSITE: Top, reception desk and Santiago map on panels in Corian® Solid Surface (Glacier
White color); Below, Ceo reception area with counter and football display wall in Corian® Solid
Surface (Glacier White color); photos courtesy of Alfredo Leon Bulling.

Corian® Design / ISSUE TWO 61