Saturnbird Coffee’s Shanghai Office by SpaceStation: A Modular Workspace Inspired by Urban Planning

Designed by SpaceStation and located in Xuhui District, Shanghai, the new Saturnbird Coffee office redefines the concept of workplace design by integrating modular systems, natural materials, and the spatial logic of a miniature city. Spanning nearly 2,000 square meters, this innovative office environment accommodates dynamic workflows, fosters spontaneous interaction, and brings a thoughtful spatial rhythm to corporate culture.

Material Innovation and Integrated Detailing

At the core of the design lies a deep material experiment. The architects aimed to use a single, unified material across all elements to establish both aesthetic cohesion and systematic modularity. Through extensive prototyping and load analysis, birch plywood emerged as the ideal material, shaping everything from tables and shelving units to walls, partitions, and even decorative features.

This approach allowed for precise measurement and spatial calibration, aligning every element with the building’s structural column grid. As a result, a modular construction logic was born—flexible yet ordered, enabling the interior to respond seamlessly to the ever-evolving needs of a growing creative enterprise.

A Spatial System Inspired by Urban Planning

The layout draws direct inspiration from small-town planning, structured around a network of main roads, squares, parks, and monuments. The central gathering zone—termed the “coffee square”—acts as the beating heart of the office, a space of interaction, movement, and reflection. Anchored by a suspended linear coffee bar, this area serves as both a communal hub and a visitor reception space. A flexible furniture system of mobile stools and reconfigurable seating enhances its social adaptability.

Exhibition, Collaboration, and Flow

Flanking the square is an exhibition hall, envisioned as the “spiritual” quarter of the office-town. Encased in glass and modular in layout, this area can accommodate a range of installations and displays, fostering creative exchange and internal showcases. As one moves through the space, circulation routes lead to specialized office “blocks”, each with its own buffer zones—garden-like pockets for informal meetings, brainstorming, or quiet reflection.

These spatial gardens feature movable boards, built-in seating, and sculptural elements functioning as urban “monuments”, intuitively signaling entryways to different departments.

Adaptive Workspaces for a Creative Future

In line with the project’s modular philosophy, the office furnishings do not follow rigid workstation norms. Table legs are recessed, creating unbounded surfaces that can be shared by one or more team members. The configuration allows for team expansion or contraction, supporting multiple use cases over time.

Key departments, like R&D, enjoy their own landscape-facing breakout areas, ensuring both privacy and openness. Flexible storage units further support the changing rhythms of daily work, while the cohesive material palette maintains a calm, creative atmosphere throughout.

Saturnbird Coffee’s Shanghai Office ultimately embodies design flexibility, human-scale urbanism, and craftsmanship, demonstrating how work environments can be structured to evolve alongside the people who inhabit them.

All Photographs are works of Weiqi Jin