For over a century, a pioneer in the beauty industry has shaped the way society embraces self-care and empowered people from all walks of life to feel confident in who they are. SL+A was pleased to offer this company a complete overhaul of their office headquarters located in Taipei 101 – the tallest building found in all of Taiwan.
Originating from France, the world’s largest beauty company has been passionately dedicated to the beauty business and entered the domestic market more than 40 years ago. With a focus on sustainability and citizenship initiatives in Taiwan, a growing team of 1200+ employees across various departments work together in the spacious office spanning across two floors occupying a total of 3,270 square meters.
The design objective was to create a highly collaborative working environment that would bring together each of the departments and cross-functional teams. This new iteration of the workspace takes inspiration from the original French heritage of the company, but brings in a wonderful twist meant to explore innovative solutions that promotes wellbeing and flexibility in the Taipei office. Mixing classic Parisian decor with a modern Taiwanese flair, the overall design aesthetic tells the tale of two cities.
To accentuate a simple sophisticated elegance, curved lines were introduced in the reception area as a nod to French architecture that features open spaces, rectangular shapes set against arched openings and adds a softer touch to the space. The SL+A team celebrates the French origins of the company and sourced vintage product posters from the archives to be displayed next to the Café and break area. Along with bistro woven chairs and fun fabric patterns, an ambiance of a quaint Parisian street was created.
Known as a lush tropical island, elements of Taiwan were represented as well through the thriving walls of greenery found throughout the office. The massive windows and natural lighting ushers the way to many open concept workspaces that can be adjusted for individuals or groups to have a casual conversation or plan out team projects. One defining feature is a Taiwan island made from up-cycled and recycled beauty product packaging. The prominent focus on inclusivity, protecting the beauty of the planet and driving social innovation was a major motivator in the design of the office space. For employees to gain a better understanding of the different product lines offered and stimulate further conversation, beauty displays were built around the office to draw attention to company brands. In addition, product visuals are often showcased as features in the meeting rooms and private phone booths.
Our design team made it a priority to promote visual identification and intuitive wayfinding in such a large office; carefully selecting the colour scheme and elements throughout the interior to ensure an elegant and cohesive experience for all. SL+A truly helped create a space that allows the company to continue their mission of shaping the future of beauty with a long-term vision of inclusivity, championing community values and providing meaningful impact to the world.
Project Information
Partner In Charge: Mao Wang
Design / Project Manager: Lydia Chou
Project Designer: Chi Wang, Joanna Japati
Visual Art Designer: Huan Tu
LEED & MEP Manager: Simon Sue
Site Supervisor: Aki Yang, Straw Yu
Quantity Surveyor: Peko Chen
Photography credit: HHYL Photography Studio / Phoeny Lee
