Otis

If you point at almost any modern iconic building around the world, it is very likely that you will stumble upon OTIS. Whose elevators do you think save your legs from climbing the Eiffel Tower in Paris? Who transports ten million visitors up the Empire State Building every year, and who takes you to the viewpoint of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, in seconds? None other than OTIS, because everyone needs movement, whether by elevator, escalators or moving walkways. This multinational has also found a foothold in Prague; on the sixth floor of the AAA SmíchOFF administrative building with unique architecture and an amazing view of the capital.

An unusual challenge

All interior installation companies look forward to receiving an order that is a bit different. Such an order landed in our in tray in June 2021 – it was something special. Together with the architects of Penta Real Estate, we managed to construct a space that combines administrative, commercial and social purposes, while also serving as a showroom.

We were privileged to furnish the space with its unusual "Z-shaped" layout. We worked with non-standard elements and unusual materials. OTIS constantly comes up with new ideas and innovations in its field. So it's to no surprise that it wasn't afraid to go a little against the grain in the concept of its brand-new office space. While the trend for huge "open spaces" has been in vogue for many years, the company decided to do it differently. Although it adhered to the open-plan concept, thanks to a smart and carefully thought-out layout, it ensured privacy for individuals and entire teams. This allows the users to communicate with one another without being disturbed, which supports not only creativity, mutual cooperation and social ties, but above all productivity.

The perfect interplay

The first room you enter when you visit the company is, of course, the reception area. It also functions as a client zone and showroom for elevator accessories. However, don't expect a shocking entrance. The wow effect here is found as you go deeper into the office. The most important things are initially hidden from view. The architects really did a great job here. The finishing standard and attention to detail is of equally high quality. The interior has all the gadgets, and can easily accommodate the most technically demanding projects.

The aesthetics of this zone were successfully combined with perfect functionality. It is not a colourful wilderness, but rather an interplay of simple shapes and colours. The minimalism of the corporate identity is reflected in shades of grey, and distinctive stainless-steel elements evoke the surface of escalators. The ceiling is designed in a metallic black industrial style. Living plants are suspended from the ceiling structure on wires, which greatly enliven and soften the interior.

Concealed practicality

The multifunctional entrance space is very airy and clean. One of the few textured items here are the furnishings – blue upholstered coach seats, round tables and chairs with a natural wood finish. At first glance, you would never guess what is concealed behind the smooth walls in the back of the reception area. In fact, these are cabinets with drawers, in which material samples and small accessories are kept. Samples of servers, engines or other electrical equipment are in turn tucked away behind vertical panels, which from the viewing side are decorated with silhouettes, arranged nicely by size, of famous buildings around the world which contain OTIS products.

Royal Ahrend office project interior view of OTIS in Prague 4918

Royal Ahrend office project interior view of OTIS in Prague 4948

Royal Ahrend office project interior view of OTIS in Prague 4904

Playful design

Ingenuity knows no boundaries, as the Penta designers demonstrate here over every square centimetre and in every regard. Glass doors, metal screens and connecting corridors have been thought-out down to the smallest detail. When an experienced artist takes an otherwise pointed shape into his hands, he can create an elaborate composition and with the alternation of glossy and matte surfaces, create a pattern that gives the place elegance and flair. The work was all the more beautiful because it drew inspiration from the design of the doors of the first ever commercial elevator, which OTIS installed in 1860 in the New York department store E. V. Haugwout Co., where it served five floors. The elevator, which moved at a speed of 0.20 m/s, was driven by a steam engine, which was located in the basement.

Classic never gets old

The combination of black and white is evergreen. It suits every occasion. You can also dress up the walls for a contrasting, yet graceful look. This flawless and aesthetically-pleasing combination also works well with wall murals. This is why they are so often used in interior designs and have been included at OTIS too. Stickers that are many metres long depict everyday life or architecture, and one wall is even dominated by a picture of an elevator.