Slatted timber panels break up spaces in this concrete-lined office for an advertising agency in Lisbon by local studio ColectivArquitectura (+ slideshow).

The workspace for the Portuguese branch of agency TBWA is situated on the 9th floor of a 1970 building, designed by architect Fernando Silva as a headquarters for electronics company Philips.

ColectivArquitectura were given a tight budget and short timeframe to complete the project, so chose to take advantage of the existing structure and use it to inform the rest of the interior.

"The brief asked for a low budget intervention plus the need to be performed in a short period of time, without distorting the [client's] concept 'disruption'," said the architects.

A pair of slatted wood screens sit perpendicular to one another, spanning between the exposed concrete columns.

"Two elements in wood, with only a residual treatment, punctuate the space and function as visual filters," the architects said.

The first is positioned in front of the entrance, blocking the view of a long table that stretches the length of the room and accommodates 36 desk spaces.

Turning right, the second screen conceals a lounge area with high-backed grey upholstered seating.

Further workspace is provided by a table and seating in matching wood, while benches also run beneath the rows of windows along the longer two facades.

A meeting room and private offices are hidden behind dark grey panels at the back of the 500-square-metre space, which contrasts with the otherwise white walls.

Concrete was poured and levelled to create the smooth floor, whereas it was sprayed onto the ceiling to give a textured finish.

Strips of lighting form parallel lines across the ceiling and a lower light source is suspended above the long desk, running in the same direction.

Dark grey pendents matching the colour of the seating area are positioned above the wooden bench.

Photography is by FG+SG.

Project credits:

Architects: ColectivArquitectura – Vera Martins Alves, Cristóvão Fonseca Ferreira
General contractor: Luís M. M. Martins Unipessoal, Lda
Wood contractor: Socorte, S.A.