Quanza

When the IT company Quanza Engineering took up residence in a former truck factory in Amsterdam (The Netherlands), they wanted their workplace to reflect the core of their business: “people and tech combined”. Being aware that the people are the driving force behind their company, Quanza took into account their need for a place where work and pleasure could be combined. That’s what inspired the interior designers at Kersing to recreate the feeling of a village square in the central hall of the building, where the employees can meet and relax in a friendly environment. To help shape this habitat, the central hall features an impressive custom-made plank design in Leaf, part of the Handcraft collection. Leaf’s organic pattern brings to mind the shapes found in nature and welcomes it inside the workspace.

When you enter the building of Quanza Engineering, you genuinely marvel at the awe-inspiring sight. Evoking the grandiose beauty of nature, the design features big trees, wooden structures, a green wall and a unique plank design that combines 4 colours from the Leaf collection. “The use of colour symbolizes the transition from the cold outside world to a welcoming atmosphere that accentuates tranquillity and nature,” interior designer Wilco Kersing explains. The grey-toned Leaf 961 and 983 were used to mimic stone and concrete, whereas Leaf 668 and 810 represent grass and earth. “Thanks to the longer length of the plank carpet tiles,” Wilco continues, “the space is given a sense of movement and speed, suited for an IT company.” Harmoniously combining technology with nature, Leaf proved a perfect match to Kersing’s design concept.
Another showstopper in the central hall is the large steel staircase, which invites people to sit and have a chat, or it can even serve as a platform for meetings and presentations.

Connected to the central hall, or village square, are a number of individual units and rooms to work or meet more privately, as well as several breakout spaces. In some of these rooms the custom-made planks are replaced by standard-sized Moss carpet tiles, to create visual contrast without losing the open structure.

Both Moss and Leaf respond to the biophilic design trend that can actively reduce stress and enhance overall employee wellbeing by introducing organic patterns to the office. Moreover, thanks to the industrial structure of the former factory, light is allowed to flow in freely through the saw-tooth roof. The exposure to natural light is proved to have tangible results on an employee’s health, mood and performance. The result is a happy workforce that can communicate both formally and informally amid the soothing yet lively atmosphere of the village square.