A Tour of Dynamic Frame’s New Zurich Office

Michal
Media
2 weeks ago

Film production company Dynamic Frame hired architecture firm balbek bureau to design their new office in Zurich, Switzerland.

“Previously, Dynamic Frame had two offices in Zurich – one was responsible for fiction and documentary production and the other for commercials. However, it was time to unite the specialists in one space, so the clients chose a space with room to grow. They decided to sublease part of the office until the company needed it, and eventually occupy the entire space.

The name of the film production suits its team and their work style: employees are constantly on the move, and the office usually gathers a lot of people. Brainstorms, pitches, presentations to clients, work on video material and its post-production – we needed to create a truly multifunctional and adaptive space that would naturally fit the team’s tasks. The specifics of film production required a variety of functions: in addition to designing traditional workspaces, we had to control noise and develop a design for editing rooms that were demanding in terms of sound insulation and acoustics.

The new office is located on the ground floor of a new building in Zurich’s Binz district. This is a former industrial area where bricks were once produced. We played up the characteristic facade with round windows in the interior of the office.

When we started working on the project, the building was unfinished – there were no windows or floorings. There were no utilities either, which allowed us to immediately plan everything according to the functions of the future space.

The exposed concrete beams and bare walls required additional acoustic solutions – we engaged a specialist from Kyiv to develop a project. According to his instructions, we decorated the cubes with perforated plasterboard, which not only looked attractive but also absorbed sound.

Together with the Ukrainian company Expolight, we developed a lighting project for the office: due to the specifics of our clients’ work, it was important for them to have high-quality and interesting lighting. Separate scenarios for each area of the office can be controlled via the app on the phone: adjust the warmth, color, and intensity according to the time of day or mood. For example, in the cinema, there are scenarios for working on video materials, watching a movie with a client, and discussing.

We were inspired by the company’s name – Dynamic Frame. A frame in cinematography is the final product created by the authors, but all the most interesting and important things happen behind it. In construction, a frame is the foundation of a building or structure that gives it strength, rigidity, durability, and shape. But at the same time, it is often hidden from our view. Playing on the company’s name, we proposed to make the frame the basis of the concept and rethink it in conjunction with the architectural carcass. To introduce the outside observer to the process of film production and let him inside by showing open structures.

We divided the existing room into a grid – like a frame – and began to build an open space along it. Functional rooms inside it are separated in the form of cubes – they do not adjoin the ceiling and have no adjacent walls, and are separated by glass partitions made by the Ukrainian contractor SKLO. The ceiling with beams, like an open frame, is visible through. If you look at the office layout, the volumes of the cubes correspond to the classic 4:3 aspect ratio.

We also noticed the team’s love for warm, ocher shades and accents of green, and used them in the interior. The main reference was the short film “People on Saturday” / Menschen am Samstag from the Dynamic Frame portfolio.

At the entrance of the office, visitors are greeted by a custom galvanized steel cloakroom – we wanted to create it to look like a retro cinema ticket office. Its functionality had to be wider than a regular cloakroom – during events or parties, it can be used to distribute invitations, tickets or souvenirs. The rack is foldable and can serve as a showcase. On the doors of the cloakroom, we have provided elastic bands for postcards, shelves for glasses and trinkets. There is also an RGB lamp built into the door, which allows you to change and customize the color of the backlight.

It was important for the clients to plan a full kitchen and sufficient dining space – the team loves to cook and get together for lunch. The dining group is assembled from a HAY table and vintage chairs. The dining area wall has posters of movies shot by the film production.

The kitchen has everything you need for cooking – it is equipped with an oven, stove and hood. This area is decorated with a wide strip of stainless steel. It is supported by a second visual strip – a wood-finished kitchen island assembled from individual blocks, which were made by the Ukrainian contractor Cassone according to our sketches. One of the blocks is reserved for a vinyl player with records. An RGB lamp provides additional lighting and allows you to change the mood of this area by choosing different colors.

The main open space and lounge area are organized along the front windows, where there is a lot of natural light. In this open space, we had to strike a balance between common areas and the soundproofing needs of individual workstations. Tables in the open space have acoustic partitions.”