MAD15 Expansion is a project taking over four new floors of the already existing Amazon offices in Madrid, Spain. The site building, designed by architect Norman Foster, is one of the four towers at Paseo De La Castellana. The project floors of 19 to 22 are benefitting from striking views across the city and beyond. Besides the typical office rooms and settings, the scope includes a new reception and a large restaurant space on level 22.
The concept of the project is Tertulias of Madrid. Tertulias, meaning ‘Literary cafes’, are places that traditionally became popular gathering spots for thinkers and creators of the city to come and share their ideas. The expansion floors celebrate the sites where these exchanges took place. Graphics throughout the project depict interesting characters, street views and maps related to Madrid, helping employees and visitors identify the location and learn about these literary cafes within the city.
The overall look and feel of the project has an industrial base material palette, overlaid with more traditional and natural materials and colours. An especially experimental approach is on lighting design, which in various key spaces is a contemporary yet practical custom-made solution that also becomes a focal feature.
SIZE: 14,335 sqm
LOCATION: Madrid, Spain
MY ROLE: Interior Architect
RESTAURANT
The restaurant area offers both, food services counter that is supported by back-of-house commercial kitchen as well as a more standard kitchenette area for self prepared meals. The bulkhead edge separates the different colour open ceiling which clearly divides the otherwise open space into two different zones. The general look and feel is contrasting, combining pastel tones and warm rattan and wooden laminate finishes with bright and bold pops of colour on joinery and graphics, resulting in harmonious yet joyful final result.
One of the feature elements are the custom-made ceiling features that soften the overall look, liven up the space as well as incorporate lighting. The vinyl floor finish mirrors the ceiling features and their organic shapes do not suggest any specific furniture layout, making it easy to reconfigure the dining area as required. The visitors attention is also drawn to Amazon principles on the walls created with illuminated 3D letters.
RECEPTION
The reception space greets with a curved lines Corian reception desk with a front made of same colour breeze blocks. The wall behind is created using overlapping painted doors, referring to Amazon’s door desk, the symbol of the company, depicting the first desk ever used in Amazon, which was made of a regular door.
The fluid shape of the main feature lighting element and the mirroring floor finish draws people further into the space towards the lounge and restaurant.
Similarly to other wall murals of the project, the large piece by the reception desk depicting a map of Madrid, has a QR code embedded within the graphic to allow people to learn more about its content.
KITCHENETTE
The main feature space on typical office floors is a kitchenette. Aimed to have a WOW effect, they have a lot of character, which is largely created by the vinyl finish that is applied in a custom-made pattern across the floor and the back wall. The wooden joinery ceiling raft mirrors the pattern which is then further emphasised by the incorporated bespoke lighting.
The partially glazed partitions on either side of the kitchenette make the space feel more open while their fake mullions create a sleek overall look in a cost-effective way.
