BDO Lausanne

A Swiss expert in audit, accountancy and assurance, BDO had a clear idea of what it wanted for its Lausanne office expansion. For compact premises with complex needs, the client provided a picture that the team needed to analyse technically, to deliver a unique ceiling that pleased aesthetically and performed acoustically. The requirements were clear: to brighten dark areas, bring symmetry and harmony to all parts of the premises, and create a workspace that is comfortable and perfectly adapted to today’s demands.

These requirements demanded that the team move away from standard practices and think differently. In doing so, the architect chose a geometric approach titled ‘The Diagonal’ – based on the bishop’s diagonal movement in chess. 300m² of custom METAL R-H 220 triangular shaped tiles, together with 15 custom mirror aluminium METAL Sonic Element canopies made this vision a reality, creating an aesthetically unique ceiling.

Complementing these bright, intriguing shapes was a playful approach to lighting, with LEDs integrated in a way that alternated light and dark, creating shadows and depths that simultaneously lit required areas while taking the ceiling far beyond a banal, ‘flat’ surface – becoming a central feature in the newly expanded offices.