Toyo Engineering — Chiba: a head office laid out like plant piping, with its own “pipe” typeface

Concept

BLUE PLANeT

The concept, “BLUE PLANeT”, joins the word PLANT with the e of engineer, and the blue planet is the earth. The key colour is an original blend of blue and green, called the “planet colour”.

The building is over thirty years old and was taken over with its interior and furniture still in place. The design respects the original architecture by a well-known architect and makes use of what was already there.

01 · Routes

Like energy through pipes

The centre of the two-wing building is the collaboration area, and routes are run all through the floors so that people circulate the way energy flows through a plant’s pipes.

02 · Circles

Circle, cylinder, curve

The core shapes of the design are the circle, the cylinder and the curve, used in furniture, in the edges of floor and ceiling areas, and in openings in the walls. Along the routes are modular original furniture pieces derived from a bench, made in the sustainable material NATURESCAST® and given rounded forms.

03 · Colour

The planet colour

The base is a greenish grey, with the planet colour, wood grain and earth colours. Recycled and natural materials are used.

04 · Signs

HAIKAN Gothic

Signs are set in HAIKAN Gothic, an original typeface based on piping (haikan), and signs about the new ways of working are placed around the office.

05 · Nature

Stone, moss and timber

Planters, stone benches and moss bring the earth indoors. After the move, the company says, staff faces “became brighter”.

06 · Work

Desks of every kind

The work areas mix shared desks, long counters and booths.