Actiu In the vibrant metropolis Mexico City, the interplay of local culture and global brand presence can be experienced at first hand — in the new offices of adidas. The office spaces redesigned by Oxígeno Arquitectura in 2023 not only appeal in terms of their architecture but also symbolise the fusion of tradition and innovation. Through its products, the Spanish office furniture manufacturer Actiu helps to create a work environment where creativity and community go hand in hand.
The task: Creating greater satisfaction and healthy dynamics
The goal of the project was to not only optimise the physical environment but also increase the employees’ well-being and productivity. From the very start, the focus was on the employees’ individual needs. The resulting spaces reflect a modern work culture that is based on flexibility, cooperation and well-being.
Through the relocation of its company headquarters, adidas Mexico also aimed to help improve its employees’ quality of life. The goal was to create spaces that offer the employees not only a special design but also advantages related to their daily work thanks to the headquarters’ central location and good infrastructure. Another important aim of the project was to realise the most significant aspects of the adidas brand philosophy in the new offices. The office area is characterized by open spaces that directly encourage conversation and collaboration. Here the employees are not assigned fixed workstations. As a result, every employee can work wherever he or she wishes, depending on the task at hand and personal preferences.
The implementation: Collaboration meets art
The new adidas offices in Mexico City are contemporary and flexible spaces that combine well-being, fun and communication while reflecting local identity in their design. This has made it possible to create a work environment that meets the high standards of adidas while fostering a sense of togetherness and inspiration. The new offices are not simply a place for working. They are also a place for encounters and creative development, where every employee can find his or her own place and is encouraged to do his or her very best. This synthesis of local roots and a global identity makes the adidas office complex a prime example of modern corporate culture in Mexico City and beyond.
In order to promote communication and dialogue, the number of desks was reduced to six for every ten employees. The aim was to encourage the employees to use other spaces, such as the cafeteria, the lounges, individual rooms or telephone cubicles. These dynamics are reinforced by desks of different heights as well as chairs and bar stools that invite their users to vary their posture. To preserve uniformity, the same chairs are used in the conference rooms, whereas lighter furniture such as folding tables and standing tables are used in the cafeteria.
Multifaceted art — for example, colourful works by artists such as Oscar Torres — are used to spark creativity and stimulate innovation. Modern technologies and digital tools also play a key role in the design of the communication system, which reaches far beyond the physical space itself. For instance, videoconferencing equipment and smart conference rooms enable seamless collaboration with partners and customers all over the world.
A commitment to sustainability
Low-pollution materials and surfaces that guarantee minimal environmental impact characterise the new offices and emphasise the sustainable behaviour of everyone involved. This is due to a sense of responsibility for the environment and the well-being of the adidas employees. Actiu is a strong partner in this regard. It’s a family-owned company that has been working for decades to reduce its CO2 footprint and implement the production and consumption model of the circular economy. Actiu was the first Spanish manufacturer to introduce particleboards with 0% formaldehyde-melamine coatings that comply with the emission requirements of the US EPA TSCA Title VI and CARB Phase 2 standards. In its environmental design and circular economy process, the company uses selected materials such as 100% sustainable and lightweight steel that minimizes CO2 emissions in its transportation and processing, wood with FSC certification and aluminium from the automobile industry that reintroduces 93% of production waste into the production process. The use of sustainable, recycled and reusable materials is one of the company’s hallmarks. The products are manufactured in the company’s own technology park in the town of Castalla. The park is self-sufficient in terms of energy.
In addition to using low-pollution materials and surfaces, the new offices at adidas also save energy by means of energy-efficient technologies such as LED lighting and motion sensors and support the responsible utilisation of resources. Moreover, the work areas are designed to use lots of natural light. This avoids dependence on artificial lighting and promotes a healthy work environment. To supplement the daylight, biophilic elements such as plants and a green wall bearing the company’s iconic logo emphasise a strong connection with nature — a clear commitment by the adidas brand.
Always on the move: At Actiu there’s a convergence of ergonomics and design, along with sustainability and creativity. This Spanish furniture manufacturer specialises in modern work areas and project facilities and is internationally renowned for sustainable environmental initiatives and efficient product solutions. These have been its hallmarks for more than 55 years. Actiu started out as a small workshop and evolved into a company. Its headquarters are now located in a specially constructed technology park near the city of Alicante. This is where all of the company‘s products are manufactured using sustainable and resource-conserving methods — “Made in Spain” with lots of heart and a pioneering spirit. The technology park was the first industrial complex in the world to be honoured with both the LEED and the WELL v2 Platinum certificates. Actiu is also part of the Spanish Remote Working Observatory, a corporate and social initiative whose goal is to promote a telework model that offers security to employees and companies. At the same time, this model is to be adapted to new real-life employment conditions and thus to help increase flexibility and efficiency. You can find more information at https://www.actiu.com/en/.
Cover photo: Actiu
