Three Minimalist Offices That Are Anything But Boring

Although culturally worlds apart, these three office spaces—from New York, Athens and Shanghai—find level ground following the cohesive design language of minimalism.

Each project feels distinctly grounded in its local context and yet there are similarities that make a major impact—from neutral monochromes, pops of colour, natural materials and open plan spaces.

One thing is for sure: beneath their cool and calm exteriors, these projects are anything but boring.

Enjoy our round-up of three very different yet familiar office spaces from across the globe.

Photos by Lorenzo Zandri.

Zinodotou Studio by Georgios Apostolopoulos Architects.

The architecture firm revitalised a former storage space in central Athens and turned it into their own design studio, breathing new life in a 1970s building located in the Pagrati neighbourhood. The concept was to create a space that would not be just a design studio but also a place that would encourage creativity.

The open plan fosters a transparent, collaborative atmosphere where various sections seamlessly interact. The interior unfolds in two primary areas, a workspace housing desks and a meeting space adjoined to the kitchen. Hidden doors conceal the bathroom and storage, maintaining the studio’s clean, gallery-like ambience.

The walls have a beige textured finish, creating a calm and welcoming atmosphere and the floor is covered in micro cement, chosen for its textured look to match the rest of the office. A similar textured finish was used on the exterior walls to create a sense of flow. Not just a practical office, this space reflects Georgios Apostolopoulos Architects’ design ethos to contribute to the local community.

Three Minimalist Office Spaces Curated By Yellowtrace Woodo Studio Tagi Office China Photo Jing Guo 19

Three Minimalist Office Spaces Curated By Yellowtrace Woodo Studio Tagi Office China Photo Jing Guo 20

Three Minimalist Office Spaces Curated By Yellowtrace Woodo Studio Tagi Office China Photo Jing Guo 21

Photos by Jing Gua.

Tagi Office in China by Woodo Studio.

WoodoStudio’s new office for young lifestyle brand Tagi is located on the banks of Suzhou Creek in Shanghai’s Jingan district. The layout utilised a set of slender lines to construct the overall space. A variety of design strategies were employed to create a warm, human-scaled office environment. The soft furniture partition, which can be freely combined through the centre, can gently divide the space and create a flexible atmosphere in the different areas.

We are particularly partial to the clever integration of joinery desks with concrete columns and the masterful and measured application of colour pops that take this interior to another level. Big tick.

Three Minimalist Office Spaces Curated By Yellowtrace Atheorem New York Office Photo Hanna Grankvist 27

Three Minimalist Office Spaces Curated By Yellowtrace Atheorem New York Office Photo Hanna Grankvist 35

Three Minimalist Office Spaces Curated By Yellowtrace Atheorem New York Office Photo Hanna Grankvist 26

Three Minimalist Office Spaces Curated By Yellowtrace Atheorem New York Office Photo Hanna Grankvist 29

Photos by Hanna Grankvist.

Gemic’s New York office by Atheorem.

Designed by Berlin-based architecture firm Atheorem, business consultancy firm Gemic’s office is located on the 28th floor of a new Brooklyn building. This loft-like space offers views of Manhattan and the Upper and Lower Bay of New York. A bad start this is not.

Atheorem emphasised the impression of openness by using low and light furniture, underlining the light-flooded character of the space. Light green and mint colours are inspired by Asian Celadon Ceramics, for which there are counterparts in Scandinavian craft culture—a nod to the global DNA of the company. Together with the oak wood of the furniture and joinery, it creates a very relaxed environment.