Prague-based architecture firm Cisarstudio has completed a striking renovation of the Deveron office, transforming a 1990s postmodern building into an open, fluid workspace. Central to the redesign is a dramatic 16-metre-wide lighting installation, inspired by both aviation history and deep-sea exploration—two passions of the client.
From Constrained 1990s Office to Contemporary Workspace
The original interior was heavily partitioned, with plasterboard walls and false ceilings restricting light and spatial coherence. Cisarstudio stripped back the envelope to expose the concrete structure, pursuing an open-plan layout that responds to modern working styles and integrates thematic storytelling.
Operational Details: The “Whale Wing” and New Spatial Identity
Suspended beneath the ground-floor ceiling, the translucent PVC-and-aluminium installation—nicknamed the “whale wing”—references the Blériot XI monoplane, the first aircraft to cross the English Channel in 1909. Its floating form also nods to underwater buoyancy, embodying lightness and movement beneath the weighty concrete vault above.
A blue-to-white ombre wall in reception evokes the sky, paired with a coral-red desk referencing both marine environments and the legacy of The Red Baron. These colours reappear throughout meeting rooms and communal areas.
Design Features and Functional Enhancements
Micro-perforations beneath the installation boost acoustic performance for meeting rooms, while upstairs workstations benefit from a full lightbox ceiling. Hole-punched aluminium storage subtly echoes aircraft engineering, and climbing plants soften the exposed structural frame. The blue-red palette extends into the kitchen, bathrooms, and collaborative areas.
Economic and Workplace Impact
The refurbishment elevates the building’s value by replacing outdated interiors with a flexible, contemporary environment that enhances comfort and productivity. The eye-catching installation strengthens the client’s brand identity while offering a memorable spatial experience for employees and visitors.
Strategic Significance
Cisarstudio’s design positions the Deveron office as an example of thematic, narrative-driven workplace architecture in Prague. The project aligns with wider urban revitalisation efforts in the city, echoing recent upgrades such as the Křižík Pavilions renovation and Heatherwick Studio’s planned redevelopment of a central city block.
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