Shiseido’s business philosophy of omotenashi, translated as “touching the heart of the guest or customer,” inspired the design.
Architectural expressions of omotenashi permeate the headquarters—particularly in the 19th floor entry lobby. This amenities-rich floor includes a café with a barista, a large outdoor terrace, and a two-story event space and lounge.
The hospitality-infused décor features a variety of seating arrangements for dining, meetings, socialization and individual work.
A kit-of-parts design approach allows each business unit to satisfy Shiseido’s space standards while highlighting its own distinct brand and culture. The Nars leadership team opted for a bolder aesthetic featuring high contrast black and white with bright red details while bareMinerals has more neutral, earthy tones.
Brands share floors and amenities that promote spontaneous collaboration. Double-height spaces and connecting stairs link several floors.
Shiseido’s “Love the Differences” messaging helped shape the design. This program recognizes and respects people of different backgrounds and celebrates the company’s diversity.
The space features soft color palettes and high-end furnishings. References to Japanese crafts include origami as a ceiling element and the brush-stroke movement of calligraphy as a background to art walls.
Shiseido occupies floors 15 through 22 of the 32-story tower. Dispensing with traditional hierarchy, its executives are on the lowest (15th) floor.
The name Shiseido comes from a passage in an ancient divination text meaning “Praise the virtues of the earth, that is where anything and everything is born from.”
The team juxtaposed natural elements with the urban location for the design, which achieved LEED Silver certification. Biophilic elements include the rounded and curved forms, wood details and furnishings, color schemes inspired by nature and textures that celebrate the senses.
The design maximizes daylight penetration. The team also specified low-emitting materials and put in place a stringent indoor air quality management plan during construction.
Because Shiseido signed a 15-year lease, the space needed to be easily adaptable.
Not long after moving in, Shiseido took advantage of the universal space planning approach by adding more staff to the office. The workspace absorbed the additional people exactly as planned, without losing any collaboration or alternative work settings.
Instead of plastering walls with logos and product imagery, the design team created a custom display system of interchangeable metal panels. Photos are printed on large magnetic tiles that slide together to form mosaics that can quickly transform a space.
Active design strategies such as the interconnecting staircases and flexible furnishings encourage employees to walk and move around. Furniture throughout the amenity spaces can easily be adapted for a variety of uses include standing meetings.
Wellness rooms are available for nursing mothers or people who need restorative spaces for prayer or meditation.
Sound masking and other acoustic design strategies block out the cacophony of the Midtown Manhattan streets and allow for quiet work.
“We focused on areas for social interaction, not just in the main amenity space but throughout the full 220,000 square feet. There are all kinds of intentional moments that enable serendipitous encounters and a sense of connectivity.”
— Bill Bouchey, HOK Design Principal
Shiseido’s business philosophy of omotenashi, translated as “touching the heart of the guest or customer,” inspired the design.
Architectural expressions of omotenashi permeate the headquarters—particularly in the 19th floor entry lobby. This amenities-rich floor includes a café with a barista, a large outdoor terrace, and a two-story event space and lounge.
The hospitality-infused décor features a variety of seating arrangements for dining, meetings, socialization and individual work.
A kit-of-parts design approach allows each business unit to satisfy Shiseido’s space standards while highlighting its own distinct brand and culture. The Nars leadership team opted for a bolder aesthetic featuring high contrast black and white with bright red details while bareMinerals has more neutral, earthy tones.
Brands share floors and amenities that promote spontaneous collaboration. Double-height spaces and connecting stairs link several floors.
Shiseido’s “Love the Differences” messaging helped shape the design. This program recognizes and respects people of different backgrounds and celebrates the company’s diversity.
The space features soft color palettes and high-end furnishings. References to Japanese crafts include origami as a ceiling element and the brush-stroke movement of calligraphy as a background to art walls.
Shiseido occupies floors 15 through 22 of the 32-story tower. Dispensing with traditional hierarchy, its executives are on the lowest (15th) floor.
The name Shiseido comes from a passage in an ancient divination text meaning “Praise the virtues of the earth, that is where anything and everything is born from.”
The team juxtaposed natural elements with the urban location for the design, which achieved LEED Silver certification. Biophilic elements include the rounded and curved forms, wood details and furnishings, color schemes inspired by nature and textures that celebrate the senses.
The design maximizes daylight penetration. The team also specified low-emitting materials and put in place a stringent indoor air quality management plan during construction.
Because Shiseido signed a 15-year lease, the space needed to be easily adaptable.
Not long after moving in, Shiseido took advantage of the universal space planning approach by adding more staff to the office. The workspace absorbed the additional people exactly as planned, without losing any collaboration or alternative work settings.
Instead of plastering walls with logos and product imagery, the design team created a custom display system of interchangeable metal panels. Photos are printed on large magnetic tiles that slide together to form mosaics that can quickly transform a space.
Active design strategies such as the interconnecting staircases and flexible furnishings encourage employees to walk and move around. Furniture throughout the amenity spaces can easily be adapted for a variety of uses include standing meetings.
Wellness rooms are available for nursing mothers or people who need restorative spaces for prayer or meditation.
Sound masking and other acoustic design strategies block out the cacophony of the Midtown Manhattan streets and allow for quiet work.