studium occupies warehouse in porto with 'spectris' creative workspace

portuguese design firm studium presents its ‘spectris innovation center,’ a vibrant and industrial creative studio in porto. the project is defined by the expansion of an existing building to connect with an entirely inward-facing, attached warehouse space. the design team investigates methods of interior occupation within such a vast, open plan, as well as a functional design of the multiple points of contact between the two preexisting spaces. the massive space is organized as a rectangular plan with a central nave, together covering nearly 650 square meters. the vertical division across two levels is programmed as the office spaces below accessed by large rear patio above.

all images by ivo tavares studio

creative studio studium introduces the entrance as the first design element of its ‘spectris’ innovation center, which clearly expresses the integration of the industrial past and the innovative present. this dichotomy carries across throughout the project as a whole, serving as the creative concept which drives the design. with an ambitious program for the creation and distribution of nearly sixty ‘open space’ jobs, the interior is organized as a collection of meeting areas, team work areas, individual spaces, and designated leisure and recreation zones. the central open space thus collects the community together for teamwork building with its range of uses, functions, and scales designed for workers as well as for visitors.

with its ‘spectris innovation center,’ studium divides a series of gathering spaces, each with its own distinct program and scale. an auditorium, which in itself generates smaller intimate spaces with its surrounding resultant areas, is interrupted by a reprogrammed storage containers. this tower-like element introduces an agent of access to a second interior level, overlooking the sweeping interior, as well as a structural element for team growth on the upper floor supported by these preliminary support points. the scale also follows the standard definition of the spectrum of use with micro contact points where the team can, individually or in groups, extend the primary performance space.