If two realms of work can be said to occupy opposite sides of the spectrum, they might be the industrial factory and the A.I. company. Standout examples of both types of workplace are featured in our May/June 2024 issue.

WXY’s and Body Lawson’s The Peninsula bakes the factory typology into a new affordable housing community in Hunts Point, New York, where food processing is the literal bread and butter of the local economy. While the Bronx neighbourhood has long been a significant commercial zone, over the past several decades, its residents have suffered higher-than-average rates of poverty; the new development thoughtfully bridges the gap between two basic needs: permanent housing and opportunities for employment.

For the A.I. giant Nvidia, just outside Silicon Valley, Gensler and Hood Design Studio have envisioned an outdoor dimension that connects tech professionals to their immediate surroundings, making the landscape as visceral and inviting as it can be. While seemingly worlds apart, each setting is designed with people’s well-being in mind.

When it comes to the planet’s welfare, we also spend time in a once-mothballed space that’s been recycled into a vibrant co-working hub. In London, Material Works Architecture has boldly celebrated the imperfections of a heritage building, exposing its time-honoured fabric and playing up its scrappy charm. In devising a workplace dedicated to climate-tech start-ups, the firm also took the opportunity to showcase material innovations — including panelling made with coffee grounds, acoustic pendants crafted from mycelium, and expanses of recycled cork flooring — that augment its sustainable statement.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Major Trends in Office Design

How designers are reimagining office environments around the world with bold colour, human-scaled proportion and cultural engagement.

Furniture for Every Workplace

From soft seating and task chairs to semi-enclosed office hubs (including Nienkamper’s Toko Meeting Pod) – a range of solutions for making the most of your corporate interior project.

Castor Designs for the Stars

Star power meets design distinction in Toronto-Detroit studio Castor’s collaborations with pop-culture phenoms like Matty Matheson and Seth Rogen.

SPOTLIGHT: Residential Inspiration

It’s not all work, work, work: We also showcase home interiors and furnishings with great ideas for how to organize our inner sanctums.