MONOARCHI度向建筑的辦公室位于小區內部一棟三層獨立洋房的首層中，建筑面積約100平方米。整幢建筑最早為一個家庭所有，但因特定歷史原因產權被分割，目前一層居民與二、三層的居民共享一個30平米的獨立院子。出于對這座老宅的喜愛和尊敬，我們在最初接觸這棟房子的時候就決定了對原有的建筑室外和室內的結構格局不做任何的破壞與改變，盡可能的保留住歷史的這份厚重感。

我們需要在這小型空間創造出8人的工作空間以及與建筑相關的展示空間需求。我們第一步是精簡，剔除居住功能；第二步是復合，我們在主要辦公區的中部植入展覽空間，以滿足不定期小型展覽的需求；通往會議室的過道加寬形成為評圖區域；會議室與小型圖書館混為一室；原有衛生間和淋浴的隔墻被打開，轉換為模型室，材料室和打印室，這三者與廚房用餐空間連通，模型室的桌面和廚房臺面等高，使兩者可以互相擴展。

我們在室內空間的形式處理上采用了拱形，這一方面是對本街區內上海老法租界的最具特色的拱廊和拱門的一種致敬。不同尺度的拱形界定出了不同的空間，大拱頂的工作空間，半拱頂的會議室，以及不同功能空間之間作為過渡的小型拱廊，比如評圖廊道，以及另兩個拱形過廊。另一方面，拱形也對原有建筑格局進行了包裹和保護；再者，拱形的形式特點使得在人頭頂之上的空間被巧妙利用，開發了更多的儲藏空間和多用途空間。

在材料的選擇上我們關注的是材料對空間的塑造能力和對空間的復合利用能力。黑色螺紋鋼的可塑性勾勒出拱的形態，鋼材與磁石的結合使展覽可以布滿整個空間；辦公室入口，評圖廊道和轉換廊道這些穿越式空間使用清水混凝土，它的厚重使這幾處空間獲得了我們鐘愛的儀式性；我們把空調，服務器等服務空間隱匿于評圖廊道背后，清水混凝土具有的隔音性能，使辦公室獲得了更安靜的效果。拉絲不銹鋼的可被精確塑造的能力和微弱的反射能力，使構造細節得到了保證，也使拱形獲得了某種形式上的拓展。

30平米的院子曾經雜草叢生無人使用，我們用黑色金屬網格支起一個平臺，有限的落點和網格的空隙保證了植物的生長，鄰居也因此而被吸引下來和我們共享這一方寧靜天地。

對歷史建筑的保護

上海作為城市的歷史僅有150年，所以此類近80年的老建筑對城市而言彌足珍貴。但是太多的老房子為了能夠創造更多的租金與經濟利益被業主任意的肢解和搭建，令人惋惜。作為建筑師我們有能力通過自己的設計拯救這些有故事的老房，創造更舒適的共享空間。我們選擇了這間老宅的責任就是捍衛其曾經的歷史并繼續延續下去。

空間矛盾的解決

在一片以居住為主的社區中注入一個辦公空間，核心矛盾是如何解決兩者和諧共存，并且有良好的互動。在流線上我們避免干擾到樓上住戶，保護其居住私密性；同時，鏤空金屬露臺保存了原有院落生態又成為了與鄰居共享的休憩平臺，而辦公室入戶門的雕刻玻璃模糊了室內外的視線，也隔絕了鄰居對我們的干擾。

基于小型空間內的材料潛力的探索

無腿的辦公桌，懸浮的拉絲不銹鋼桌面，彎折成拱形的鋼筋，這些對建筑材料的反復探索，是建立在小型空間使用性的研究之上的，避免建筑材料淪為室內的裝飾，我們考慮如何利用材料的物理特性構造功能和空間，例如鋼筋不僅勾勒的是拱的形態，同時又是儲物空間，也是展覽空間。所以這個辦公室不止于我們的辦公空間，也是我們對自己設計理念和哲學的實驗。

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.