Laurent Troost Architecture Studio completed a Brazilian office for an archaeological consultancy in the past year. One that includes a bold, green, lush garden courtyard and abundant vine trellises as well. The Tropical Shed project is based in Manaus, Brazil, near the confluence of the Amazon River and the Rio Negro. What could be better than having plants around you while you work? Clue: plants are life and having them around is incredibly beneficial.
Plants Surrounding an Office Space? It’s a Yes From Laurent Troost Architecture
This archaeology office with a leisure area, located in a popular and industrial district of Manaus, is a reinterpretation of the industrial typology, said Laurent Troost, who is based locally. The compact building, completed for Muiraquit Arqueologia, a local archaeology office, divides its narrow lot into three separate spaces. A perforated brick wall leads from the entrance into a more casual work environment with a long dining table, a kitchenette, and a hammock.
This area is referred to as a leisure area by the architects, but you haven't yet seen the greatest part of all: the outdoor spaces invaded with the greenest and most beautiful plants. Who wouldn't enjoy working in an ambiance such as this tropical shed? It's what plant lovers would call 'pure perfection'.
Tropical Plants Growing All Around and Making Workers Happy
Although covered by a low roof, the leisure area is actually open, allowing tropical plants to grow in planters that are irrigated by the roof's gutters above. On the front of the area is a hidden, hollowed-out facade of massive bricks that let the prevailing winds pass and discreetly reveal the depth of the lot without revealing all its details. The open-air courtyard in the middle of the lot has a pool and plenty of plants lining the walkway leading to the office. The lot is surrounded by a double-height steel trellis that serves as a framework for fast-growing tropical vines.
The firm shares:
"The reinterpretation of the industrial typology was achieved by a sequence of three-dimensional porticos, made of smooth rebars, serving as guides for the growth of several species of rapidly-growing vines."
The vines grow from flower boxes on both sides of the plot, defining a double-height space and shading the leisure area and office to create a tropical, airy, and refreshing microclimate, the studio explained. The enclosed office space at the back of the property includes a communal work table, conference room, and restrooms. Taller ceilings in this volume help to brighten the space. But definitely, plants are the protagonists everywhere you look. Whether you're inside and want to have a visual break, you can just look outside and your day will get better without a doubt just by looking at these plants.
An Office With a Splash of Fresh Air
Openings to the gardens on both sides supplement the issue of luminosity while also allowing cross-ventilation of all office environments. This volume is fronted by the same brickwork pattern, which creates dynamic shadows within the space as the light shifts throughout the day.
Laurent Troost Architectures has also completed a co-working space in Manaus, converting an abandoned classical building into a light-filled and lush office space for a variety of creatives. Truth is, they know how to work their magic when it comes to transforming spaces with plants.
That's what the world is all about now, making plants one of the most important components of every spot, home, restaurant, hotel, and anything!
Photos by Joana França
