Transparency, inclusion and sharing. In the Recanati headquarters, APML Architetti has transformed the 3rd floor, originally reserved for executive management offices, into the new Lighthinking Space, a contemporary environment designed for working and socialising, and open to the entire iGuzzini community.
In the Lighthinking Space, work and home come together to create an environment that satisfies professional requirements and individual well-being by incorporating high tech and design. It is an area that perfectly represents the company’s new vision in which iGuzzini’s historic lighting vocation is developed to create products that are also ideal for living contexts.
Cristiano Venturini, the iGuzzini CEO commented «We imagined Lighthinking Space as a tangible manifesto of iGuzzini’s strategic vision. Our aim was to communicate to our community – of employees, professionals, suppliers, customers and partners – the drivers on which our growth is based and, above all, the 5 values needed to guide it. This is why we have chosen it as a marker for our internal areas. In this open, transparent, professional space, everyone must be able to express themselves freely and interact in a respectful and humane way, share codes and methods as part of a community and actively contribute to the company’s journey.»
The large new 400 sqm multifunctional space is available for organising meetings, teamwork, having a coffee, following a course, enjoying a fun and relaxing break with colleagues, or simply spending a moment to concentrate and find inspiration by leafing through a book or magazine. Lighthinking Space can accommodate up to 50 people at the same time and consists of meeting islands with different setups all equipped with monitors, lounge and conversation corners, a presentation room, a meeting room with an audio-video system and interactive whiteboard, a fully equipped kitchenette and a library/newspaper area with a vast selection of publications that can also be borrowed. These include architecture, design and art magazines and books, as well as volumes dedicated to personal training, new fiction releases, novels in English and children’s books.
The area is organised into 5 theme areas. Each of these has its own corporate value – openness, beauty, innovation, integrity and humanity – and is identified by a specific colour, which is repeated on furnishings and fittings to transmit sensations and prompt behaviour.
The values are recounted on double-face panels, which also depict 5 great masters of design and architecture with the iconic product they designed for the brand: Gae Aulenti (Cestello), Michele De Lucchi (Venaria), Renzo Piano (Le Perroquet), Gio Ponti (Polsino) and Jean Michel Wilmotte (Linealuce). With its plants, colourful furnishings, and multimedia technologies, Lighthinking Space is a living place in which light, air quality, and acoustic comfort have all been carefully designed to promote people’s well-being, with a particular focus on sustainability. This approach develops and reinforces the solutions implemented in the 1998 building by Mario Cucinella Architects, that had already applied environmental principles such as natural lighting, temperature modulation, and reduced energy consumption 25 years ago.
Alessandro Pedron, APML Architetti stated «This project represents iGuzzini’s commitment to be increasingly a place of inclusion and collaboration. All its interior choices help to highlight a transformation towards concepts of openness, transparency and transversality. Its goal is to make the people who work in and with the company feel good and increase their sense of belonging.»
Lighthinking Space is an exemplary iGuzzini lighting project. The artificial light self-adjusts intelligently according to the natural light, following the progression of the different phases in the day. This improves the well-being of the people using the area and saves energy while interacting with the building and its guests in a smart and efficient way. In fact, all the luminaires installed are equipped with light intensity and motion/presence sensors to adjust switch-ons and dimming in relation to the amount of natural light already present; detect occupancy data, so we can assess which areas and times are the busiest; and send app-driven push notifications (text and/or voice) with useful information to visitors.
Light is diffused throughout the area by miniaturised Laser Blade XS High Contrast luminaires installed on Superrail tracks with Palco spotlights creating accent lighting, and vegetation enhanced by Underscore InOut luminaires positioned inside the pots. Sound-absorbent panels and sound-absorbing Light Shed luminaires further enhance environmental conditions by ensuring a high level of acoustic comfort.
The latest generation air conditioning system with double filters ensures healthy air that is further increased by hydroponic vegetation featuring species specifically selected to absorb volatile toxic substances and minimize the presence of mould and bacteria.
CREDITS
Seating and tables: Arper
Glass partitions: Frezza
