Location: Singapore, Singapore.

Architect: Studio SKLIM.

Verdant Spine Office in Singapore is a small office for lawyers that offers a biophilic environment. The office was designed to be creative-centric, with a natural palette of earthly accents and material tactility to complement the curvilinear ‘’landforms’’. The spatial organisation is anchored by a linear architectural datum which incorporates storage, shelving, printing station, an informal meeting niche and an overhanging spine of flora. The aesthetics of the greenery draws inspiration from the tropical rainforest and was intentionally designed to be on the wild side, reflective of the flora in this region. Laser-cut felt pieces from leafy abstracts were custom fabricated to provide a softer acoustical cocoon for a meeting niche and cosy break-out area. The curvilinear geometry of the partitions and carpentry are inspired by both natural landforms and vernacular architecture. The meeting room is an abstract of the vernacular communal longhouse. The overhanging 3m long rattan canopy was designed in tandem with the meeting table to mirror each other in dimension and 2-dimensional geometry. The work cubicles were designed to provide more visual privacy through partitions and rattan woven screens, configured to provide a balance between privacy and communication with the legal associates in their individual rooms. The elements of craft are evident in this project. The creation of this verdant spine manages the different work flows of the modern compact office by defining work zones and circulations while accommodating pockets of wild nature.

Photo credit: Khoo Guo Jie.