korean studio m4 designs its own office as a succession of farmers' greenhouses

when it came to building its own office, korean design studio m4 decided to draw a parallel between its way of working and the daily life of a farmer, dividing the space in three greenhouses to enclose the design department, the construction department, and the lounge. the office features various elements that reference farming activities, such as wooden apple crates used as containers for magazines, office supplies and plants, bookmarks made out of rice, graphic displays, and decorative elements including plastic planters, watering cans, and stacks of hay.

‘we applied the process of farming to express how we proceed with a project,’ notes the seoul-based studio, ‘ in our office, you can feel the heart of a farmer who showcases the crops he has grown with his heart and soul.’ the first greenhouse, where the design department is located, is compared to the time a farmer plows the field and it begins to bud. the designers have interpreted that step as the moment in their work process when they start a new project, and develop the idea for it. in that space, they have placed a mood board where they can gather references and share ideas.

the construction department occupies the second greenhouse, parallelized to the time when the crop grows and flowers bloom. in order to keep track of the way the design is executed during the time of construction, m4 has organized an area where samples of finishing materials are displayed, divided into categories. the last structure houses the lounge area, where member can gather for a meeting, or get some rest during work. in this space, the designers have translated the process of harvesting all the grown crops, and the proud heart of the farmers.

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edited by: sofia lekka angelopoulou | designboom