roomoo renovates two old warehouses to create canada goose's shanghai headquarters

what were formally two old warehouses in shanghai have been transformed by roomoo design studio to create the first canada goose headquarters in china. originally built between 1920-1930, the space had been previously used as practice rooms for the former shanghai acrobatic troupe. this most recent intervention worked to preserve the architectural spirit of the place, while bringing warmth and new life into the office.

all images by archi-exist & xiaoyun

the materiality and texture of the original façade has been retained by roomoo, with the only addition being strips of metallic cladding around the windows and doors and at the base of the building. these lines are used to emphasize the outlines of the elevation, and to protect the edges of the original openings. the color choice of this material is also seen within the interior elements, which helps to create a unified whole. 

the client, canada goose, wanted to renovate two of the most central blocks of the two warehouses. spanning across four different levels, the main entrance is located at block C. then at the second level of block C, a staircase is linked to the second level of block A, where the main open workspaces are located. here, an external terrace and an outdoor staircase is next to the open workspaces, which create a secondary entrance to the office.

walking into the office from block C, a new full-height brick wall contrasts against the historical elements. the color choice of brick intends to give a warm welcome to visitors and staff alike. coming into the heart of this block, a shared core visually connects the entire space like a chimney, from the pantry to the very top of the building. this atrium space is used for meetings and social gatherings.

there are two small meeting rooms right after the main entrance. they are rounded with half-height transparent partitions that keep the meeting rooms private, at the same time retain the visual connections.

brown metal is used both indoor and outdoor. these elements connect the various functions of the whole building, while also emphasizing the contrast between old and new in terms of material choice and construction solutions. the staircase to the second level in block c is made from old elm wood boards, the steps come in original wood color and finish to remind people of old building memories through hearing a little ‘crunch’ sound when people step on them.

on the upper level of this area, two short staircases lead to the top of the small meeting rooms, which are two shared spaces with flexible functions. through another staircase is block a where is the main working area. this 7 meters high space with pitched wooden roof is divided vertically into two parts by a series of concrete beams.

in between the wooden roof and concrete beams, 6 cubed metal frames are placed on top of the workstations and become the main lighting system. the idea is to avoid hanging fixtures to leave the roof neat and clean. the detail design of the lighting frame also pays tribute to the ‘christian column’ by mies van der rohe.

project info:

project name: canada goose shanghai office

location: shanghai, china

design company: roomoo

area: 5167 ft2 (480 m2)

photography: archi-exist & xiaoyun

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom