Yihang on Design: Natural Offices That Spark Creativity

People surrounded by high-rises long to enjoy birdsong and blossoms in a natural setting, and to work in a healthy, eco-friendly, comfortable environment. Through biophilic design and the creation of public spaces, Yihang aims to bring design and nature into closer harmony and give people a deep sense of happiness. Using the Zhejiang Digital Culture space as a case study, this article explains the rules for building an eco-natural office.

I. Blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, and bring nature into the office

The new campus of Zhejiang Daily Digital Culture Group Co., Ltd. ("Zhejiang Digital Culture") sits in the middle of a modern city. The brand wanted the overall style of the space to match its eco-natural office philosophy, extending the city into the building and creating an urban oasis suited to office life with an open, inclusive attitude.

Transparent glass, green plants, and irregularly shaped furniture blur the boundary between indoor and outdoor space, creating a relaxed spatial experience. A fully automatic skylight on the roof of the building fosters a harmonious flow from outside to inside, and from focused work to social exchange.

The layered clusters of plants echo the sculptural furniture, enriching the space visually while building a new model in which people and nature, people and space, and space and nature coexist in symbiosis—Yihang putting its brand philosophy of "bringing nature into the office" into design practice.

II. Use furniture shapes and layouts to create diverse spatial moods

Zhejiang Digital Culture wanted an office that is a modern space where health and efficiency coexist, so Yihang used flexible, portable furniture to set the space "in motion", creating a work atmosphere better suited to how young people socialize and spend time alone.

For a modern office that champions both health and efficiency, spaces for "socializing" and "solitude" are indispensable, and they need just the right kind of space to host them.

The shapes of the office furniture echo the circular elements in the space, overlapping and recurring throughout, visually extending the physical space and forming a cocoon-like envelope. Combined with the greenery and eco-friendly hemp-fiber furniture woven throughout, it gives everyone who steps inside a sense of calm.

III. Use furniture colors cleverly to convey a friendly, inclusive corporate attitude

The guiding principle for office colors is to emphasize personality as much as possible so the company's character stands out. Bianfeng Network, a subsidiary of Zhejiang Digital Culture, made generous use of its corporate color green in the design of its new office, giving it a distinct brand identity. The parent company's corporate color is red, and the furniture in the public areas boldly clashes red against green, expressing Zhejiang Digital Culture's friendly attitude toward its subsidiary.

At the same time, the interplay of light and shadow, materials, and lines creates a relaxed, lively office atmosphere in which people can express themselves freely and feel a sense of belonging.

The eco-natural office philosophy is an exploration of a more human way of working—a fusion of work, nature, and everyday life. Yihang is committed to providing clients with healthy office space solutions, bringing the beauty of nature into everyday work life.