Office as a playground

Handisports is a company that manages and provides sports services to handicapped people, whether intellectual, physical or sensory impairment, and at risk of social exclusion.

In late 2014 the company commissions Serrano + Baquero to build its new headquarters to host their offices and classrooms in 80 sqm.

The project responds to the client demand by offering a playing field where they can not only make the work of management and training but also where they can host sports activities, normally performed in other rented places. In this way, the office work becomes another game in a space designed to be transformed depending on requirements, days and times. Serrano + Baquero’s proposal consists in the development of some game instructions for the using of the designed space, establishing a set of tactics or rules for the management of the playing field depending on the different activities.

The construction was simple and consisted in removing all the existing coatings, revealing the original building elements. To create the new playground the architects arranged a black vinyl sport ground, where they drew overlapping white lines for the various activities. Mobile translucent curtains suspended from the ceiling help to define these activities as needed but do not prevent the light to pass through producing a shadow game that helps to perceive the space as dynamic and active.

Handisports office, Granada, Spain
Program: offices and playground
Architects: Serrano + Baquero
Collaborators: Maxime Rousseau
Maquette: Ziwei Li
Area: 80 sqm
Completion: 2015