INABA arranges multifunctional spaces for red bull's new york offices

INABA arranges multifunctional spaces for red bull’s new york offices
photo © naho kubota
all images courtesy of INABA

best known for its high-energy drink, red bull wanted its new york headquarters to be low-key. the 16,800 sqft. project doesn’t celebrate the company’s values with eye-catching forms, nor is its layout influenced by recent theories of workplace productivity. instead, the INABA project is simple and without the pretense of being on the cutting edge of tech office design. it responds to the quick cycling of trends in interiors by steering clear of large-scale gestures, playful lounge zones, or urban ad hoc décor.

an employee going up the main stair
photo © naho kubota

the firm says that, ‘if the standard for corporate facilities is to create a physical experience that builds on the brand qualities the organization has successfully established in digital media, then red bull’s new york office is the antithesis of this best practice.’ there isn’t a reliance on storytelling or graphic imagery, but the space is dialed back to reset the focus of the experience on the basic architectural qualities of scale and light.

lounge area for small meetings
photo © naho kubota

acknowledging that agencies and technology are evolving quickly and the future functions of the work environment are unpredictable, the architects composed a layout of rooms with distinct, fixed features. the three types of dimensions are large zones, medium-sized enclosed areas, and small cubicles. they are used now for open office events, conferences, and collaborative meetings, respectively. each has been planned to be unique in size and daylighting, as opposed to having any particular programs, inviting employees to invent new uses for them.

outside a conference room on the lower east side
photo © greg irikura

to emphasize these elements of the work, INABA worked with the photographer naho kubota, who captured the interior using film. the images in this series include closely framed views that describe the sense of proportions and natural light in the spaces. other photos by kubota and greg irikura document the color of surfaces, materials, and furniture.

medium room
photo © naho kubota

the main stair
photo © naho kubota

different group areas
photo © naho kubota 

photo © naho kubota 

photo © naho kubota

small room
photo © naho kubota

project info: 

architectural design: jeffrey inaba, ostap rudakevych, yoichiro mizuno, alan kwan of INABA (brooklyn, NY)
executive architect: jill leckner, matthew voss, min chen of SLAB architecture, (brooklyn, NY)
lighting design: william armstrong, kelly roberts of WALD studio (new york, NY)
structural engineer: jeffrey thompson of buro happold (new york, NY)
mechanical engineer: kam chiu of kam chiu associates (new york, NY)
photography: naho kubota and greg irikura

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.