Out and About: The Spanish Office Showroom
Spanish Office Showroom, Washington DC
How do the Spanish work? Thanks to a new exhibition sponsored by the Embassy of Spain's Cultural Office, I can safely answer, "Stylishly." With the help of Apartment Zero, local purveyor of modern design, S.O.S. Spanish Office Showroomis much like a shoppable expo—a series of rooms with award-winning Spanish furniture and products in situ, all available via catalog.
As someone who has seen their share of sad (very sad) workplaces, I was intrigued by the concept; what would it be like to work in an environment where form and function are equally valued? Even the trash cans (i.e., the Fénix by Vilagrasa) are beautiful in their simplicity and design. The lighting, equally so. Stimulating but without distraction, the furniture of S.O.S. demonstrates what's possible for the oft-overlooked office space.
Spanish Office Showroom, Washington DC
Spanish Office Showroom, Washington DC
Spanish Office Showroom, Washington DC
Spanish Office Showroom, Washington DC
Of all the pieces on display, the Agatha Pendant by Luis Eslava may be my favorite. Fashioned out of wood ribbons, the fixture is both sculptural and practical. Needless to say, I want one.
Spanish Office Showroom, Washington DC
Spanish Office Showroom, Washington DC
The exhibit itself is housed in the Ambassadors’ former residence, a beautiful old Beaux-Arts mansion built in the 1920s. Original architecture swathed in bright white provides a contrasting backdrop with both historic and cultural significance. If those walls could talk…
Spanish Office Showroom, Washington DC
Spanish Office Showroom, Washington DC
[S.O.S.] provides a compositional coherence, where together the individual pieces create a harmonic “working landscape.” Not only is this an ideal venue to encourage cultural projects, but it is an inspiring framework for a new understanding of the workplace as a flexible space for human interaction.
Spanish Office Showroom, Washington DC
Spanish Office Showroom, Washington DC
A key benefit of the showroom environment is the ability to interact with each piece in context. In fact, it’s encouraged. I found the conference room's Pad chair to be amazingly comfortable (sturdy, too!), perfect for long meetings.
S.O.S. will be on display through December 31st. Email contact@spainculture.us to schedule an appointment or visit the SPAIN art & culture website for more information.
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About. SPAIN arts & culture is pleased to present, in collaboration with Apartment Zero, S.O.S. Spanish Office Showroom, a permanent showroom of Spanish workplace furniture, light fixtures, and other complementary objects, representing both superb design and functionality at the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain in Washington D.C.
Images: Me