An Agency Office in the Ukraine Doubles as a Creative Workshop

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Advertising firm Banda Agency is tasked with generating a steady stream of ideas, and company leadership wanted a new office that would provide plenty of inspiration, sans cubicles. Tapped to design such a space, ater.architects did just that, and created a hub which was anything but corporate. “The client’s main request was to move away from the idea of a conventional office with fixed desks and a rigid layout,” says Yulia Tkachenko, co-founder of ater.architects. “They envisioned a creative workshop, something closer to a spacious shared apartment. That’s why we opted for a flexible layout – every zone can be easily transformed depending on the task or mood of the day.”

Located in the historic center of Kyiv, Ukraine, the new 3,229-square-foot workplace occupies an early 20th century building, and its high ceilings and historic texture set the tone for the project. The team carefully restored original moldings and decorative friezes to preserve their presence in the space, and then incorporated modern elements for striking contrast, like aluminum surfaces that reflect light.

A modern living room with two beige sofas, two armchairs, a coffee table, and large windows letting in natural light. A potted plant is in the corner.

A modern living room with a red leather chaise lounge, beige armchairs, a marble coffee table, shelving unit, potted plant, large window, and framed artwork on a white brick wall.

A long dining table with ten wooden chairs, several books on the table, and a colorful abstract painting on the wall in a neutral-toned room with curtains and archways.

The main hall is ideal for collaboration, complete with soft seating and communal tables. Part of the corridor is raised on a podium, which transforms into a stage for presentations. A long table for 12 is paired with bent plywood chairs from the 1980s. Low storage units subtly separate three groups, with chairs for three to five people. These areas also include vintage pieces and lighting for each zone.

A modern meeting room with a long black table, brown chairs, exposed brick wall, large window, and a pink artwork above a cabinet with a silver globe.

A modern meeting room with a black table, brown chairs, exposed brick wall, wooden ceiling beams, and glass-panel sliding doors.

A small office room with glass walls, two brown leather chairs, a pink side table, and a metal ladder inside a modern space with wood accents and an exposed brick wall.

The only dedicated workstations with monitors are on the mezzanine above one of the central hall’s cubic volumes. Doors with rounded glass panels, reminiscent of those on the city’s trams, lead to the second. In this section, upholstered Zoom rooms blend comfort and acoustic performance. Employees climb a metal ladder to reach the popular cloud lounge, where the walls and the floor are covered in a fabric with a sky print – the perfect spot above it all to relax and recharge during the day.

A bright hallway with exposed brick and plaster walls, a textured glass door, wooden floor, and a framed artwork that reads "Ping Pong Pitch".

A red and chrome chair sits at a wooden desk in a small, textured-walled room with wooden flooring and a metal ladder beside a door.

A metal ladder is attached to wooden built-in cabinets with rectangular windows, leading to an upper loft area.

Loft bed with blue cloud-patterned padding and walls, metal ladder, and textured ceiling overhead.

A modern meeting room with a wooden table, red chairs, and a pegboard shelf holding various office supplies and decorative items against a white brick wall.

The workshop is a highlight, a place where anyone is free to experiment and explore concepts. An open area integrated into the far hall, the wall is lined with aluminum pegboards which serve as a flexible system for storing tools and materials for prototyping and model-making. The agency’s many awards are displayed in this makerspace to remind everyone of what they have accomplished as a collective, and what they still have yet to achieve.

A pegboard mounted on a wall displays various hand tools, including pliers, screwdrivers, a ruler, and storage boxes, neatly organized in rows.

Conference room with a long wooden table, red chairs, and a large wall art resembling a banana with a barcode and numbers, set against light-colored walls and ceiling.

A modern office space with a wooden table, red chairs, a glass partition, a blue potted cactus, and natural light from a window.

Modern kitchen with a long wooden island, metal bar stools, built-in appliances, exposed brick wall, and large windows. A sculptural white light fixture hangs above the island.

A small round table with two wooden chairs sits near a large potted plant and a wooden-framed glass door in a minimalist room with exposed brick and a wall-mounted light.

A minimalist café interior features neutral tones, modern chairs and tables, and large potted plants creating a calm, natural atmosphere.

Two red chairs with wooden arms flank a small clear side table in a room with wood paneling and a white brick wall. A pink artwork featuring a cartoon rabbit hangs above.

A partially open wooden door with white wavy handles is set within a wooden wall, with green plants on top and beige room visible inside.

Minimalist reception area with a curved metallic desk, white chair, wood flooring, ornate ceiling molding, and sheer curtain dividing the space.

A man stands next to a woman seated at a round white table in a minimalist room with light-colored curtains and modern chairs.

Oleksandr Ivasiv and Yuliya Tkachenko of ater.architects

For more information on ater.architects, please visit aterarchitects.com.

Photography by Yevhenii Avramenko.

Anna Zappia is a New York City-based writer and editor with a passion for textiles, and she can often be found at a fashion exhibit or shopping for more books. Anna writes the Friday Five column, as well as commercial content.





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