AD ARCHITECTURE have designed an office for a Chinese clothing brand called JYC, located in Dalang Town, Dongguan, China. The space is an “illusory structure” deduced from physical light and shadows. Rather than following conventions, the project emphasises creative and spiritual attributes of the space. At the beginning of the design phase, AD—led by chief designer Xie Peihe—tried to think from the perspective of the space itself and apply metaphysics to the interior design. In this way, they created a geometric space which features a deep and perspective view, aiming to inject creativity and spirit into it.

The JYC Office is situated at a woollen clothes wholesale centre, surrounded by a noisy and chaotic commercial block. The space serves for garments design, working, and sales activities. At the entrance, a white cube was inserted into the disorderly architectural space, through which AD ARCHITECTURE hoped to rebuild spatial order and bring a new image to the commercial block. Functional spaces are combined in a geometric manner and connected by the staircase. The first floor is used for the reception area, while the second and third floors serve as working, meetings, and new products release areas.

The original space has a long and narrow rectangular plan as well as a single-span framework. The architects embedded a large unadorned geometric volume into the full-height foyer, which adds a sense of tension to the interior. The grey block on the top provides additional storage space. The foyer and reception area are separated in a subtle way, and the grey concrete column that previously existed was retained, which highlights the interior structure while enriching spatial textures. The white block functions as a reception desk and a bar counter, and leads the sight line to move from the foyer to the rear staircase area. This staircase area provides a twisting circulation route and becomes a visual highlight, with its flexible structures and openings allowing playful interaction between people and the space. The overall spatial design emphasises volume and scale. And the staircase alternates between black and white, which appears more lightweight, much like a piece of paper.

In the working area, the ceiling presents varying shapes, either void or solid, which demarcates the resting space where the staff can communicate and have a break. The original concrete interior structure was “liberated”, so that a clean and comfortable environment was created in the compact workplace. Apart from the manager’s office, which is partitioned by transparent glass, there are no substantial physical partitions within the space, which ensures an open and relaxing spatial atmosphere. The bar area plays an important role in connecting the fist and second floors and is capable of guiding physical behaviours. With a cozy ambience, it softens and balances with the cool tone of the overall space.

Through recombining spatial forms, facilities, and structures, AD ARCHITECTURE realised self-transformation of the space and further endowed it with a playful geometric aesthetic, which is full of tension.