Anda Manu has overcome every challenge, no matter its kind. With an out of the box vision and a fruitful experience in the office design industry, she has always managed to find an ingenious solution to every client’s request. She is leading AMA Design, a team of young architects specialised in office design, who, through their creativity and professionalism, have been skilfully transforming any space into an AMAzing workplace. They are true leaders in the industry, so we are honoured to present you such an #AMAzing interview with none other than their leading architect.
The evolution of office design in Romania is, without a doubt, marked by AMA Design projects. What is the secret for an outstanding portfolio?
We always think at the end users of each space: what they need on their daily basis, what is the spirit or the culture of their teams. Therefore, it’s not only about fulfilling the requirements of the management team which is in charge with the development of the project, but mostly about creating a workplace that is well designed and perfectly organized for the people that will actually use that space. This is a very important aspect, as we spend a lot of time at the beginning of each project trying to understand the needs of each department and hear their voice, by asking specific questions that truly define our scope of work.
What was the concept philosophy for Playtika Offices?
The space is filled with themed meeting rooms, informal areas and cafeterias, which are all inspired by Playtika’s best video games. Each floor has a large space in the middle of the workplace that is designed for multipurpose use, such as informal work, socializing, relaxing, or used for having open meetings and short brainstorming sessions. Thus, the space has vivid colours and special custom lighting fixtures that were designed exclusively for this project.
Who in the “community” do you follow and admire for their architectural ability and why?
We are looking for the latest researches in workplace design and the evolution of each component that makes an office, a great workplace. This means that not all the time these researches are done by architects, but by professionals from the furniture industry, behavioural studies, new technologies that impact people’s work and the big trends in social interactions within the office premises.
If someone were to write a book about your career, what would its title be?
I am proud of what we accomplished in our 20 years of activity, specializing in office design. Still, it is not about my career, but about what we, as a team, succeeded at creating. So, any title defining our work would definitely be: AMAzing offices!
What are your thoughts on the importance of floor coverings in interior design today?
Having a good carpet or vinyl range to choose from is like having the right shoes which complete a good outfit. Floor design is a big part of any design, especially in most of our projects, where we play a lot with a multitude of textures, colours and shapes.
How do you feel when you see the final result of months of work materialized in an office space?
AMAzingly satisfied, because our Concept Designs are carefully rendered in the design phase and we are always happy to see that it is materialized accordingly. Nonetheless, the greatest joy is when our clients are as happy as we are!