Fiat 500, gas station, a reed umbrella and swimming rings: these are not the details of a good trip, but the furnishings of the new joint office space of Polish brands Codelab and umlaut opened in Szczecin. The one-of-a-kind, story-telling interior was designed by studio MIXD.
Codelab and umlaut‘s clientele mainly includes automotive companies: the software they develop make the experience of driving simpler and more comfortable. When designing the interiors of the office, MIXD placed a great emphasis on making the experience of the work environment just as enjoyable as a comfy car ride. Starting out from this thought, the leitmotif of the interior was traveling and everything we associate with it: gas stations, roadside drive-ins, beaches and camping. A Fiat 500 greets visitors upon entering the space, with a trunk full of suitcases—the choice of the model was a deliberate one, as the Fiat 500 is the ancestor of many new car designs, and the majority of the successors still use Codelab software today.
The next iconic scene of the office is the “gas station”, serving as the office’s community space. Here we have a café inspired by American roadside drive-ins, reigned by the aesthetic of the fifties: pastel tones, black and white chessboard floor, painted signboards and characteristic bar stools bring a unique atmosphere to the space.
The majority of the developers are digital nomads, and thus another part of the community space is a “beach”—a room evoking the ambience of the seashore and urban beaches with reed umbrellas, inflatable furniture and the swimming ring-like lamps of Polish brand Puff-Buff.
Raw, minimalistic and loft-like style elements dominate the workspaces, but the interior also includes cozy spaces evoking the atmosphere of home offices.
The different spaces of the office lying on 3000 square meters with various functions all differ both in terms of colors and used materials. The furniture items are mainly dominated by the products of Polish brands, with several custom elements and bespoke solutions—including the water dispenser recalling the shape of a gas station. Further peculiarities of the interior include the symbols alluding to cars and technology echoing across the spaces, including on the mural by the team of Polish Takie Pany, on a rug full of city motifs, on the old school slot machines popular amongst developers and on the various pixelated graphics.
Photos: Pion Studio
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umlaut | Web | Facebook | Instagram
MIXD | Facebook
Source: Press release
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