When we picture a future society, somehow machines come to mind before people. We imagine spaces filled with metallic colors, skies and grounds crowded with robotic machines. Perhaps the gap created by artificially adding natural elements to a world filled with machines is itself a preconception we hold about the "industries of the future." Yet our society is moving toward a world where humans and technology coexist in harmony. Machines collaborating with people now feels entirely natural. As precise, trustworthy partners, machines help bring the lives we envision into being, and even work to restore the Earth to the form it once held before human cruelty mercilessly destroyed it.

Real World is a company advancing the world through warm, intelligent robotics technology, working toward a harmonious coexistence between humans and machines. Every member puts their heads together to develop intelligent robotics technology that can be applied to real life and real industries. SPACEBASE created a new office space that embodies Real World's vision. The core goal of this project was to express an industrial image rooted in precise technical capability while creating an environment that offers comfort to people who spend long hours there.

Comfort Shaped by a Balance of Technology and Sensibility

SPACEBASE explored several directions to create a functional, user-centered office that would still showcase Real World's identity and vision. The aim was to draw on the imagery evoked by core keywords like future-oriented, cutting-edge technology, and machines, while striking a balance so the space would not come across as cold or impersonal. We worked to visualize the efficiency of advanced future technology and machinery in a structural form, while making sure the overall ambience would not feel overly clinical.

An image of a headquarters where SPACEBASE's envisioned "future-oriented concept" meets a "warm ambience."

Step 1. Expressing Identity Through Materials

First, we used industrial profiles as the primary material to create a space that resonates with precise robotics technology. We saw them as the ideal tool for expressing the imagery carried by the keywords "robots" and "cutting-edge technology" that came to mind when we heard about Real World's business goals.

An image created with ChatGPT while conceiving a space that evokes the robot, Real World's identity.

Looking at the images created with ChatGPT during the conceptual phase, you can see the representative traits of the "future" we readily imagine. Smart robots, dazzling displays and lighting, materials with smooth, clean color palettes. SPACEBASE wove this imagery intuitively throughout the Real World office. To create a plant (factory) feel connected to robots and technical prowess, straight lines were emphasized throughout. Layered lighting lines were installed to accentuate a structural sense of rhythm, and all furniture and fixtures were custom-built from profiles. These silver profiles, commonly used in factory design, became an excellent tool for establishing a crisp, mechanical ambience across the entire space while allowing anyone to immediately think of the "robot" at the heart of Real World.

Straight lines used to create a plant (factory) feel.

(Left) Detailing with profiles applied. (Right) A pendant tailored to the spatial branding. SPACEBASE's care in embedding Real World's identity down to the finest details is evident.

Step 2. Warmth Added Throughout, for the People Who Use It

Avoiding an excessively cold atmosphere was another important goal, so that the people actually using the space would not experience the office as rigid and impersonal. SPACEBASE meticulously added elements with a warm aesthetic wherever eyes, hands, and feet might reach, creating an office where people would want to stay a while.

To this end, we used a special coating mixed with fine sand particles so that users could feel at ease even amid the smooth, coolly gleaming profile structures. We finished the walls with heavily textured art painting and used bright wood throughout the structures. On the floor plan, the headquarters sits underground and might seem dark and cold, but we carefully incorporated a design that raises the overall illumination of the space with full-height windows that let in bright natural light. The harmony of these contrasting elements eases the tension in the space and delivers an unexpected warmth to its users.

A lounge space designed using wood together with profiles. The cool sensibility of machines blends naturally with the warmth created by timber and natural light.

The Secret of Circulation That Heightens Work Focus

The single most important factor in office design is creating "an environment optimized for deep focus." Clearly separating the circulation of visitors and staff to minimize uncomfortable situations is an extension of that same consideration. Given that Real World frequently receives outside visitors, it was crucial to separate meeting rooms from the work areas where employees are stationed, while designing the overall circulation efficiently.

An image of the meeting room proposal SPACEBASE set out to realize.

The Real World meeting room as actually built.

The key was arranging each space so that the office would carry a moderate sense of tension without ending up too closed off. The relationship in which meeting rooms and work areas are positioned can influence employees' focus and inter-departmental interaction in many ways. With this in mind, SPACEBASE proposed three circulation scenarios based on the spaces employees primarily use and the characteristics of each department.

Option 1. Design Based on Meeting Room Purpose

Proposal 1: A form that separates visitor-only meeting rooms from member meeting rooms.

The initial perspective rendering of Proposal 1.

The first approach planned circulation based on the purpose of the meeting rooms. Meeting rooms for outside visitors were placed adjacent to a lounge that could be entered directly from the entrance without passing through the staff work area, while meetings among employees could take place in a meeting room positioned right beside the work area. It was an efficient layout that minimized travel to the meeting rooms according to the characteristics of each user group.

Option 2. Design Focused on Purpose of Use (Final Selection)

Proposal 2: A form that separates the meeting circulation from the work circulation.

The initial perspective rendering of Proposal 2.

In the second proposal, the purpose of spatial use was given significant weight. Whether internal members or outside visitors, everyone heading to a meeting must move to a dedicated meeting room zone adjacent to the town hall and cafeteria. By completely separating the area where meeting rooms are clustered from the area housing the work spaces, this scheme aimed to heighten employees' focus. In fact, this is a structure frequently applied in the offices of many other companies. After several rounds of discussion, Real World ultimately chose this second proposal.

Option 3. Design Based on Department Type

Proposal 3: A form that separates the management team from other organizations.

The initial perspective rendering of Proposal 3.

The third proposal separated spaces according to department type. On the layout, a dedicated work area for the operations team, placed separately in the lower left, stands out. The sales team's work area, by contrast, given their frequent contact with outside parties, was placed together within the cluster of meeting rooms.

In general, placing management teams (administrative support, general affairs, HR, and the like) separately within an office stems from the nature of their work. Because management teams coordinate and oversee each department, there is a delicate drawback in that sharing a single space with other teams can create tension. This configuration considered the need for distance from other departments in order to avoid such unnecessary interaction. It also reflected the intent to maintain security and reduce the frequency of internal and external contact, given the main characteristics of the work management teams handle. It was a spatial design that considered both functional efficiency and psychological balance within the organization.

Maximizing Work Efficiency Through a Purpose-Focused Layout

Following discussions with Real World, the second proposal, which separates the meeting room zone from the work area zone, was ultimately selected. To achieve "improved work focus," the most important factor in this proposal, visitors were able to enter the meeting rooms without passing through the internal work area.

Walls were used to naturally guide circulation and define zones, while an open structure on all sides was applied to secure a visual sense of openness. On top of this, the finishing materials of each meeting room used materials connected to the shared lounge, creating the effect of spaces appearing to flow naturally into one another. Thanks to a design that added both efficiency and design-driven elements in this way, we were able to realize a space where people can immerse themselves in their work without any feeling of isolation or confinement.

The meeting rooms seen from the lounge.

The Real World work area. The gray color palette and straight-line arrangement that bring the brand's intended image to life stand out.

A Space That Embraces Nature, a Lounge for Everyone

The Real World lounge leading to the meeting rooms. Materials drawn from nature were used to ease the tension within the space and add connection between the space and its people.

The pride of the Real World headquarters is a lounge where one can briefly soothe a mind weary from work and spend a quiet moment. Its distinctive structure gives it an appeal that sets it apart from typical corporate headquarters design. It was designed as a "lounge that embraces people," easing the tension and fatigue of a work area where intense discussions unfold every day.

A perspective rendering reflecting the lounge as seen from the sunken garden.

The completed sunken garden. Bright sunlight pouring in adds warmth to the office space.

SPACEBASE adopted a "sunken structure" to draw natural light into the underground space where the headquarters sits and to create an open, restful area. This can be called the most distinctive structure unique to the Real World headquarters. Generally, headquarters are rarely located at grade level, which makes architectural design that takes advantage of the site, such as sunken gardens, voids, and terraces, difficult. The Real World headquarters, however, had the advantage of being connected to the site. Drawing on the structural advantage of a headquarters that could bring the outdoor nature into the building's interior, SPACEBASE conceived a space that belongs to Real World alone.

An image of the Real World lounge proposal.

A full view of the Real World lounge as actually built using the sunken structure.

The large full-height windows facing outward let bright sunlight inside, effectively making up for the drawback of a stuffy underground space. Here, members can rest while gazing at trees that let them feel the changing of the four seasons. Beyond that, an interior that uses natural elements such as moss and stone as decorative accents adds an even warmer sense of vitality to the space.

The finalized lounge perspective rendering. It was conceived around exchange and connection among the users gathered in the lounge.

The completed lounge.

Since the office is the space where we spend the most time after home, it must be planned to be free of discomfort. Every space must be carefully designed, but among them, SPACEBASE sought to make the lounge, where everyone gathers, the most comfortable and gentle place to meet. By strategically harnessing the semi-basement architectural structure and various interior elements that might otherwise have remained drawbacks, the Real World lounge has become a wide-open place that embraces everyone, going beyond a bleak and intense work site.

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The Real World headquarters is the result of harmoniously blending the precision of future industry with the familiarity inherent to people. SPACEBASE understands a space not as a mere collection of functions but as a medium that holds the values of its members. That is why an office imbued with SPACEBASE's philosophy is completed as an inclusive space where outstanding companies can freely unfold their dreams, beyond the vague prejudice of a cold and impersonal future. This is because we pursue a design that deeply considers the essence of the work environment and encompasses both an organization's culture and the attitudes of the people who work there.

Amid the advance of technology and shifting design trends, SPACEBASE continually strives never to lose its "humanity." Under the belief that warm design leads directly to sustainable relationships and creative outcomes, SPACEBASE explores the possibilities of space again today. Within it, we can imagine a future that has advanced in an even warmer direction.

*Photos and design provided by the SPACEBASE team