Arantzazulab, a space to work in peace

17.05.2021 | Others

The frenetic pace in which we live can be an obstacle to do our work properly. It steals us time to reflection and to make strategic decisions. Under this premise was launched the Arantzazulab project, the Arantzazu Social Innovation Laboratory, in which around a hundred SLAM Chairs, designed by Lievore Altherr Molina for Sellex, have been installed.

Located in the Gandiaga Topagunea Building in Oñati (Spain), Arantzazulab is a collaborative space designed to debate, investigate and learn. It is a multipurpose centre prepared to host public or private tailor-made events, for that they have work rooms with the most advanced technology (audio-visual equipment, lighting system, digital sound system, etc.).

But if there is one thing Arantzazulab can boast of, it is its quiet atmosphere. The companies or entities that choose this innovation laboratory to organize their work sessions find themselves in a historical environment that is also reflected inside the building. Each room bears the name of one of the architects and artists who took part in one of the jewels of the area, the Arantzazu Sanctuary.
This is how we find the Oteiza Auditorium, the Eulate Hall or the Chillida Room, among other spaces.

Predominance of white

The calm breathed in Arantzazulab does not come only from the outside. The white of the space also transmits calm and is largely responsible for that environment that invites us to 'slow work'. The TGA team of architects is the one who has taken care of the interior design and, according to one of its architects, Santiago Noain Maura, they opted for white because a versatile and multifunctional space that would adapt to different events was needed. 'White allows us to achieve homogeneity and, if necessary, provide personality through coloured lights,' says Santiago.

The Sellex Slam Chair in Arantzazulab

It is this versatility that also demands that the rooms be flexible and can be changed quickly, without requiring much effort from the workers. In all that environment, the SLAM Chair seemed to fit in perfectly. 'We chose the SLAM Chair because it is comfortable (it swings well), it stacks very well and it has an excellent quality-price ratio', says one of the TGA architects, who adds that they had previously relied on it when equipping Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola.

The chosen model has been the SLAM Basic Chair in white polypropylene, some of them with a writing tablet also in white. In this way, SLAM respects the homogeneity of the installation and blends in with the calm of the space.