MONOARCHI度向建筑的办公室位于小区内部一栋三层独立洋房的首层中，建筑面积约100平方米。整幢建筑最早为一个家庭所有，但因特定历史原因产权被分割，目前一层居民与二、三层的居民共享一个30平米的独立院子。出于对这座老宅的喜爱和尊敬，我们在最初接触这栋房子的时候就决定了对原有的建筑室外和室内的结构格局不做任何的破坏与改变，尽可能的保留住历史的这份厚重感。

我们需要在这小型空间创造出8人的工作空间以及与建筑相关的展示空间需求。我们第一步是精简，剔除居住功能；第二步是复合，我们在主要办公区的中部植入展览空间，以满足不定期小型展览的需求；通往会议室的过道加宽形成为评图区域；会议室与小型图书馆混为一室；原有卫生间和淋浴的隔墙被打开，转换为模型室，材料室和打印室，这三者与厨房用餐空间连通，模型室的桌面和厨房台面等高，使两者可以互相扩展。

我们在室内空间的形式处理上采用了拱形，这一方面是对本街区内上海老法租界的最具特色的拱廊和拱门的一种致敬。不同尺度的拱形界定出了不同的空间，大拱顶的工作空间，半拱顶的会议室，以及不同功能空间之间作为过渡的小型拱廊，比如评图廊道，以及另两个拱形过廊。另一方面，拱形也对原有建筑格局进行了包裹和保护；再者，拱形的形式特点使得在人头顶之上的空间被巧妙利用，开发了更多的储藏空间和多用途空间。

在材料的选择上我们关注的是材料对空间的塑造能力和对空间的复合利用能力。黑色螺纹钢的可塑性勾勒出拱的形态，钢材与磁石的结合使展览可以布满整个空间；办公室入口，评图廊道和转换廊道这些穿越式空间使用清水混凝土，它的厚重使这几处空间获得了我们钟爱的仪式性；我们把空调，服务器等服务空间隐匿于评图廊道背后，清水混凝土具有的隔音性能，使办公室获得了更安静的效果。拉丝不锈钢的可被精确塑造的能力和微弱的反射能力，使构造细节得到了保证，也使拱形获得了某种形式上的拓展。

30平米的院子曾经杂草丛生无人使用，我们用黑色金属网格支起一个平台，有限的落点和网格的空隙保证了植物的生长，邻居也因此而被吸引下来和我们共享这一方宁静天地。

对历史建筑的保护

上海作为城市的历史仅有150年，所以此类近80年的老建筑对城市而言弥足珍贵。但是太多的老房子为了能够创造更多的租金与经济利益被业主任意的肢解和搭建，令人惋惜。作为建筑师我们有能力通过自己的设计拯救这些有故事的老房，创造更舒适的共享空间。我们选择了这间老宅的责任就是捍卫其曾经的历史并继续延续下去。

空间矛盾的解决

在一片以居住为主的社区中注入一个办公空间，核心矛盾是如何解决两者和谐共存，并且有良好的互动。在流线上我们避免干扰到楼上住户，保护其居住私密性；同时，镂空金属露台保存了原有院落生态又成为了与邻居共享的休憩平台，而办公室入户门的雕刻玻璃模糊了室内外的视线，也隔绝了邻居对我们的干扰。

基于小型空间内的材料潜力的探索

无腿的办公桌，悬浮的拉丝不锈钢桌面，弯折成拱形的钢筋，这些对建筑材料的反复探索，是建立在小型空间使用性的研究之上的，避免建筑材料沦为室内的装饰，我们考虑如何利用材料的物理特性构造功能和空间，例如钢筋不仅勾勒的是拱的形态，同时又是储物空间，也是展览空间。所以这个办公室不止于我们的办公空间，也是我们对自己设计理念和哲学的实验。

The office of Monoarchi is located in the first floor of a three story villa. The area is about 100 square meters. The whole building was first owned by a family, but the property rights were split for historical reasons, and a 30 - square meter independent yard was shared by all residents. Torespect of the old house, we decided not to make any damage or change to the structure and layout when we first came tothe house to retain the existing sense of history as far as possible.

We need to create a work space for 8 peopleas well as an exhibition spaceinside thesmall house. The first step is to remove the existing residential functions to make the space simpler; the second step is to hybridize functions:we insertedan exhibition space in the middle of the main workspace to satisfy the needs of curating small exhibitions from time to time. The corridor to the conference room is enlarged as a critique area; the conference room is combined with a tiny library; the partition wall between the toilet and shower is opened, and the space was converted into a model workshop, a material room and a printing room. These three spaces are connected to the kitchen, the bar tableof the model room and the kitchen are at the same height so the two functions can be shifted.

We use arches toform the interior space of the office, which is a tribute to the most distinctive arch corridors and arch doorsin the Former French Concession in Shanghai. The arches of different scales define different spaces, the working space with the big arch, the conference room of the semi vaulted arch ceiling, and the small arcades between different functional spaces, such as the critique gallery and other two arcades. On the other hand, the arches also somehow protected the original structure; moreover, the form of the arches ingeniously exploited the space above the head, where more storage space and multi-purpose space are developed.

In the selection of materials, we focus on the ability of materials to create space and functions. The plasticity of black screw steel draws the shape of the arch, and the combination of steel and magnets enables the whole space as exhibition space; the entrance of the office, the critique corridor and the other corridors are made of concrete, which deliver a sense ofritualwhich we love; The service space is hidden behind the critique gallery, and the sound-proofing concrete makes the office more quiet. The precision and weak reflection of the drawing stainless steel ensured the structural details, and also extended the arches in a certain kind of form.

A yard of 30 square meterswas very much abandoned before we moved in, we use a black metal meshto lay a platform.Limited landing and grid space allow the growth of the plant, the neighbors are thus attracted step down to share this peaceful corner with us.

Protection of historical buildings

Shanghai has only 150 years of history as a city, so this kind of old buildings about 80 years is extremely precious to the city. Yet too many old houses have been demolishedby the landlord for the purpose of creating more rent and economic benefits As architects, we have the ability to save these old houses of beautiful stories through our own designs and to create more comfortable sharing space. Our responsibility to choose this old house is to defend its past and enrich its story.

The solution to the contradiction between spaces

To imbed an office space into a residential neighborhood, the key is to make sure the living and the working can co-existin harmonious interaction. We tried not to disturb the residents upstairs when designing the circulation of the office. At the same time, the metal meshterrace preserves the original ecological system of the courtyard while becoming a communal space for our neighbors. The frostedglass of the entrance door not only blurred the view between the exterior and the interior, it also blocked the interference from the neighbors.

Exploration the Potentialof Materials in Small Spaces

A leg free desk, floating tabletop of brushed stainless steel, arch-shapedsteel bar…these repeated exploration of the building materials is based on the utilization of small spaces, which avoid turning building materials into interior decorations. Our intension is to create functions and spaces with the physical characteristics of materials, for example, the reinforcing steel bardoes not only outline the form of arch, it also created spaces for storage and exhibition. Eventually this space is not only our office, but also an experiment on our design philosophy and principles.