Asia & The Gulf Commercial Design Trends Asia Commercial Design Vol. 30/9 | Page 20

was the morning arrival process,” says Shaw.
“However, this communal ‘moment’ could have
been lost in the new building as staff would be able
to move directly from the internal carparks on levels
two and three directly to their own floor – bypassing
the fifth-floor reception.”
To retain this vital aspect of team bonding – even
more important with so many previously unrelated
business groups coming together – the arrival and
base building lift strategy was reconsidered.
“We inserted a void and stairs to link staff
socially across the four upper office levels. The

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ground floor is used for external training and levels
two and three are for parking. The eventual solution
added a second set of lift doors that open directly
on to the fifth-floor reception. The lift is programmed so that all staff and visitors arrive here,
and then move through the workplace via the stairs
in the atrium to capture the sense of community,”
Shaw says.
“The expanded stair voids also bring a strong
sense of visual connection between floors.”
The overall design concept reinforces the
Norwegian heritage of DNV – mainly through the

Below left:The light colour
scheme gives this office floor an
appropriately Scandinavian feel.
Birch tree graphics vary floor-tofloor, acting as way finders.
Lower left:This conference room
near the circulation stairs looks
out to a collaboration space.
Right:The DNV GL corporate
colours of green and blue feature
throughout the interior.
Lower right:Front-of-house
breakout areas are airy and open.