Oksana Dolgopyatova completes gallery-like lawyer's office in Kyiv
Ukrainian designer Oksana Dolgopyatova has transformed the first floor of a historic building in Kyiv, Ukraine, into an office featuring earthy tones and curated artworks aimed at creating a calming atmosphere.
Dolgopyatova designed the office for notary Anna Bakay, who requested a cohesive sequence of pared-back spaces that would provide a focused working environment for her small team.
Bakay's brief called for "a hybrid space, a place of creation, a place of power, a place to work from the heart." Dolgopyatova responded with a design that has more in common with a private art gallery than a conventional office.
The building, located on Tereshchenkivska Street, looks out onto Shevchenko Park on one side and a quiet courtyard on the other. Daylight entering through the dual-aspect windows illuminates a variety of textural and patinated surfaces.
Walls and ceilings throughout the 88-square-metre office feature a tactile render containing hemp fibres, which forms the basis for a simple, grounded palette that uses natural materials wherever possible.
"This interior is about connection with the earth, about silence and inner strength, without ostentatious solutions," said Dolgopyatova.
The project comprises office spaces, a reception area, kitchen and bathroom, all organised around a central hallway lined with load-bearing walls.
The gallery-like hall provides access to the adjacent rooms and is flanked by shingle panels crafted by sculptor and artist Andriy Voznytskyi using wood reclaimed from wine and beer barrels.
A pair of illuminated mirrors from Italian brand Flos reflect daylight and glimpses of the hall's artworks, including a sculpture by Alexander Sukholit and a coat rack by Mogg that is shaped like burnt matches.
Doors, window frames and sills were crafted from stained oak, while branch-shaped bronze handles by Philip Watts Design add a natural detail to some doors, including the entrance to the owner's office.
The office design was informed by a large textile panel by Oksana Levcheni that was created specifically for the project and combines weaving, ceramics, vine elements and applique.
A desk made from sequoia quartzite stone displays a bold veined pattern reminiscent of tree bark, while a gothic armchair and bench in walnut wood were designed by Tetiana Krasutska.
The reception area next to Bakay's office presents examples of contemporary art and collectible seating, including furniture from Krasutska's Tyn series for Zemna Product, along with coffee tables featuring textural ceramic bases from Naturaceramica.
Italian brand Riva 1920's sculptural seating made from solid reclaimed wood provides additional places to perch and admire ceramicist Yuriy Sulikovsky's totem-like sculptures and a wall tapestry by Sukholit.
A bathroom at the end of the hallway features an eye-catching ceramic wall panel by Serhii Horban made from hand-moulded chamotte elements that resemble stylised water drops.
The room contains a floor-mounted washbasin by Cielo, but no mirror, as Dolgopyatova claimed that "a person should exhale, pause and focus on how the water flows over their hands, without being distracted."
Dolgopyatova, who is based in Milan, Italy, carried out the project entirely remotely, relying on video calls to develop and implement a scheme that fulfils the client's demands for a deeply personal environment that will evolve over time.
Other office interior designs for lawyers include the Edinburgh office for global law firm Dentons, featuring a communal rotunda with no doors and an open-plan bar, and a 1970s-style office in Los Angeles for top entertainment legal firm Century City Law Office.
The photography is by Andriy Bezuglov.
The post Oksana Dolgopyatova completes gallery-like lawyer's office in Kyiv appeared first on Dezeen.
