The primary function of a staircase is to provide vertical access between levels, but in contemporary workplaces, they have come to function as so much more. Representing connectivity and movement, staircases are a place for chance encounters and informal gatherings to occur.

Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) is the umbrella company of 14 integrated businesses providing media, digital and creative communication services. Designed by Woods Bagot, DAN’s new Beijing workplace has a central staircase that connects floors, businesses and people, thereby supporting staff interaction, collaboration and workplace activation.

DAN’s workplace spans five floors and is focused around a central stair that provides vertical access through the workplace. On each level the staircase has also been designed to support other core functions as it forms the main assembly space and activates a series of hubs for socialising, dining, training, greeting, collaborating and innovating. “These hubs are designed as the communal spaces for staff, ideas, innovation, clients and the DAN community to come together,” says Woods Bagot Principal Ray Yuen.

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“These hubs are designed as the communal spaces for staff, ideas, innovation, clients and the DAN community to come together,” says Woods Bagot Principal Ray Yuen.
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The base of the staircase takes on a different form on each floor, such as platforms and benches and for informal working, meeting and training. The space around the staircase also extends to incorporate various functions, including a kitchen and dining area, to encourage circulation throughout the workplace. “It transforms the stair from purely a circulation mechanism to a landmark of the DAN Beijing office,” Woods Bagot Associate Thomas Butler explains.

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“It transforms the stair from purely a circulation mechanism to a landmark of the DAN Beijing office,” Woods Bagot Associate Thomas Butler explains.
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On each floor, DAN Beijing has flexible, modular workspaces that enable the different business units to operate to each of its unique needs. These spaces support collaboration and meetings; encourage movement away from the workstation; and are configured for the various requirements of each brand. Each business also has the ability to express its own brand image and character through the choice of finishes and colours.

DAN is all about connectivity and collaboration inside and outside of the company, and its new workplace represents this philosophy with a staircase that not only helps people move but also to connect. 

See another project by Woods Bagot, LK Jewelry Boutique.

Photography by Terence Zhang.