Lumine de Canuch

Photographe : Nacasa & Partners

Lumine Co., Ltd. is an operator of commercial facilities in and around the Tokyo area, targeting women in their 20s and 30s. We conducted a large-scale renovation of their offices, the first in 20 years, with the objectives of promoting communication between departments and with the shop floor, creating an environment where staff can express themselves flexibly and focus on creative work, and building on reforms of working practices to improve operational efficiency.

In order to solve the problem of a lack of horizontal communication between departments, we removed physical barriers and placed a flexible shared space, known as a "campfire", in the middle of the office to act as a hub. In addition, as zoning to encourage incidental communication and promote activity-based working, we moved the drink stand and print station next to each other.

The campfire encompasses multiple functions. As well as installing a news stand and library where people can catch up on the latest trends and information, it is laid out and equipped for holding employee workshops and seminars, letting them obtain ideas for thinking up and developing projects. It is an area where people can find inspiration and stimulation, deepening the knowledge to fulfill Lumine's guiding principle of "creating delight beyond your expectations."

In terms of the office's design, the three themes of "POP" "CULTURE", and "INTELLIGENCE" are expressed in the space. POP, reflecting Tokyo's now, is expressed in the eclecticness and style of the furniture and plants, while CULTURE, creating opportunities to appeal to emotion and think up something, is expressed by effectively arranging modern art around the office, drawing out the individuality of the people who work there. INTELLIGENCE, impressing a social presence and fostering a sense of trust as a company, is expressed as a clean and minimal base design and materials that exude a sense of quality.

The design of Lumine's office is not one conscious only of trends. Rather, because it is a presence that draws out the personality of a variety of users and companies, we aimed for a universal and neutral design that stands at a step's remove. It is a design that brings out each natural working style and accentuates the individuality of each person.