Shiseido — Shiodome: floors stacked like a mille-feuille of brand colours

Concept

A crossroads of creativity

The brief asked for an open office that would push diversity and inclusion forward and let staff experience the brand’s DNA. Gensler’s answer was a “crossroads of creativity”: fixed seats were removed in favour of activity-based working, so that ideas could come out of people moving around and meeting.

The office also keeps the customer in view. Mirrors, make-up tables, a product lounge and a mock-up store sit inside the workplace, so staff handle the products as customers do.

01 · The product lounge

The brand, within reach

The changes reflected what staff said they wanted: to know the brands better, to come up with ideas, and to give memorable presentations to influencers. The product lounge puts the products on open shelves beside soft seating.

02 · Brand floors

Cheek and lipstick colours

The shared areas use the colours of cheek and lipstick to say Shiseido. On the office floors each global brand has its own palette, and the floors are layered like a mille-feuille so that moving between them feels new.

03 · Counters & café

Places to stop and talk

Counters and café tables are spread through the floors for short meetings. The cafeteria was a finalist for the corporate cafeteria category of the 2021 Interior Design Awards.