We’ve long worked with A3 Retail Group, one of Russia’s largest sports and lifestyle retailers, on projects across the country - including the branding of Stride, their running store, DRoP!, their streetwear boutique, and The Corner, their boxing gym chain. Towards the end of 2017 they asked us to develop a design for their new Moscow offices that would tell the story of their work and inspire their staff during the time they spend there.

We wanted to use the space to pay tribute to the way sports come to life in urban environments, celebrate the sporting culture of the brands they market, as well as energising the A3 team by drawing on the company’s history and values. While doing so, we also wanted to ensure it was an office that was a pleasant and relaxed environment to work in – both efficient and inspiring in equal measure.

Our layout allows people to work and socialise naturally by offering a variety of different spaces. These include the dynamic ‘living area’, flexible seating, an open community kitchen as well as quieter enclosed offices. The material palette serves to enhance the space’s existing architecture through the use of wood, steel, concrete and bricks – with colour used only to highlight specific areas.

Graphic elements – from athletes’ jersey numbers and Michael Jordan quotes to pitch-shaped light fittings – are used to create immediately accessible touchpoints from the world of sports. Bespoke furniture, including cupboards, display cabinets and the reception desk, draws more subtle inspiration from sporting environments – like skatepark concrete, gym lockers and trophy cases.

Rosie Lee