For the Beijing Innovation Centre, Orbit's inspiring transformation from an outdated cafeteria to vibrant, social club brought in a youthful energy, greenery and modern technology along with increased seating capacity, better acoustics and an emphasis on collaboration and longer dwell times. A neutral, base palette is interspersed with warm colours and a balanced mix of materials such as perforated metal cladding, mosaic tiles and terrazzo countertops.
The Cafeteria is designed to be a flexible space, with a dedicated kitchen service and dining area to cater for 250 people. In the event of a town hall, the seating capacity can be increased to 325. A variety of alternative work and non-work settings from high collaboration tables to banquette seating on a raised platform help to break up the space into a series of intimate neighbourhoods, giving different levels of privacy. The ceiling has been opened up to address both the previous acoustic concerns associated with such a large space but also to introduce the key greenery element.
Graphics play a more subtle role in this space in the way of Beijing Opera mask inspired graphics in the ceiling as well as a modern neon redesign of the site logo at the far end of the space. These 2 elements are complemented by elegant picture frames depicting the seasonal changes in Beijing.