When an office comes with spectacular views of the open sea on one side and a historic Valletta skyline on the other, it makes for an “unparalleled canvas”, as Angela Sciberras, architect and founder of Angie the Architect studio, describes it. “These ever-changing vistas became our muse.”
Tasked with designing the office of iGaming company Relax Gaming, located on the 8th floor of a LEED-certified building at Tigne Point, Sliema, the brief was to reimagine the workspace to harmonise with the company’s culture and inventive ethos.
While bearing in mind the collective purpose of an office, Angela and architect Victor Palma Herrero approached this project in a way that allocated space according to the site’s features and functions, ultimately leading to the designation of collaboration, relaxation and entertainment areas on the side that overlooks uninterrupted sea views, while desks and general office space would be nestled towards the Valletta city skyline.
“This division brought equality for the team. Not an entirely new concept to architectural interior design, but one that we hope will gain more prominence. Equally sharing the best of the view and the reverse of the view depending on the activity, not the seniority.”
The studio’s design philosophy emphasised adaptability to the dynamic nature of creative work, best exemplified by the aptly-named ‘Brainstorming Room’ that is flexible and adjustable to cater to the evolving needs of creative minds, “an area that can mirror the fluidity of ideas, which for our client’s line of business is paramount to their success.”
Front and centre among the recreational spaces is the bespoke kitchen, featuring polished black cabinetry and an island which contrasts with the lighter-toned parquet flooring. “Paired with a selection of varyingly-sized dining tables and a bar with stools overlooking the sea, it creates an inviting space for both feasting and visual indulgence,” the architect explains.
Second to this is the cosy oasis carved out of a corner within the office – where plush seating, foliage and soothing sea views foster a rejuvenating atmosphere for co-workers to indulge in a moment of peace. “This foliage was not limited to one area, but fed into the office like a lifeline of tranquillity, branching out to bring the power of nature from the outside in.”
In the games room, a large sofa and TV invites the team to unwind and indulge in a moment of fun, while doubling as an immersive gaming experience for clients during pitches and presentations. For the meeting rooms, the team opted for sleek black wall panelling and colourful branded neon signs, designed for engaging brainstorming sessions.
“Cleverly integrating the dotted X feature from our client’s logo into the custom acoustic panels, which can be opened or closed as needed, brought the brand into the design with professional subtlety.”
Angela asserts that her studio’s design, from desk dividers to height-adjustable desks and plug-in, portable meeting rooms, balances elegance with practicality – an approach that reflects Relax Gaming’s ethos of nurturing both productivity and well-being.
“Whilst in some cases office interior design demands impose branding, in this case, it was the brand’s culture that fed the creativity. Use of black and occasional touches of the brand’s bold secondary colour palette, like through the neon boardroom signs and in the reception area, made the brand experience professional and electric,” she states.
Despite the tight timeframe for executing this project, a particular moment right at the time of its completion reflected how the company’s ethic played a crucial role in the design of its own office, working together with the studio to fully understand the space and its potential.
“We were invited to a casual evening of fun in the offices, playing foosball against the backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea. It is in those rare moments, in this case amidst the laughter of competitive play, that we experienced the tangible synergy between our design concept and the day-to-day use of the space,” says Angela. “A testament to the success of purposeful and experiential design.”
Photography: Diana Iskander / Project management: MAKS Engineering / Styling: Formadeus
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