Confidential Financial Institution Offices

Designed for an international financial institution in Sofia, this 1,500 m² workplace reconsiders the image of the traditional corporate office. The aim was to create a representative environment that communicates stability and professionalism while feeling contemporary, open and distinctly human.

The concept draws on the institution’s international character and diversity. Rather than treating the workplace as a sequence of identical corporate settings, the spaces unfold as related but individual chapters, each with its own atmosphere while remaining part of one coherent interior language. This approach allows the office to feel formal where required, yet relaxed and welcoming in everyday use.

The programme brings previously separated teams together within a more efficient layout, increasing workplace capacity while balancing open-plan areas with enclosed offices and meeting rooms of different scales. Informal meeting points and shared facilities are integrated along the main circulation routes, creating opportunities for interaction without compromising areas intended for focused work.

Materiality plays a key role in softening the institutional character of the workplace. A restrained palette of white and grey is combined with extensive oak veneer across wall cladding, ceilings and custom furniture. Upholstered surfaces, textile finishes and acoustic treatments add tactility and absorb sound, while muted terracotta accents introduce warmth within the predominantly cool colour scheme. Geometric carpet patterns bring subtle rhythm and help define individual zones.

Acoustic comfort was approached as part of the overall atmosphere rather than as a purely technical requirement. Soft finishes and a carefully balanced combination of open and enclosed settings reduce visual and acoustic hardness, supporting concentration while making meeting and shared spaces feel more comfortable and composed.

The design was developed within a carefully controlled budget, prioritising interventions that have the greatest impact on everyday
experience. The result is a workplace that preserves the confidence and clarity expected from a financial institution while expressing those qualities through a contemporary, more approachable interior.