Workspace of the Week - Syngenta, Mexico City
With cubed wooden walls and leafy green plants, Syngenta's Mexican HQ breathes life and energy into an otherwise stationary structure.

The beauty of Syngenta’s offices lies in its variety of dimensions and textures. Permeable ceilings and 3D walls breathe life in to an otherwise stationary structure.

Syngenta is an agribusiness; a Swiss company founded in 2000 that produces agrochemicals and seeds. As of 2014 it was the world’s largest crop chemical producer. The interior designers, Oxigeno Arquitectura, were given a straight-forward brief: cultivate a workspace that yields user productivity. Agriculture, by its very definition, sustains and enhances life.

This effortlessly supports Syngenta’s objectives for its Mexican HQ. Upon entering the reception, your senses are immediately hit with organic stimuli: the cubed wooden walls protrude from their base, many containing leafy green plants at assorted heights. It’s an undulating horizon changing with the seasons.

The carpet pays homage to Syngenta’s roots; marbled greys look like granite and slate, and unripe avocado-greens resemble fields seen from the sky. Non-assigned desking provides agile working across a light and airy communal area allowing employees to wander freely and engage with each other.

The straw-like lampshades against a textured grey backdrop, with corn coloured table-tops are reminiscent of harvesting corn and gathering crops. Ample seating, including confidential enclaves, makes it clear that this is a collaborative workspace.

Agriculture amalgamates layers; soil, rocks, grass, trees, leaves. You get the same feeling with Syngenta’s work hub – even the ceiling lights are layered between wood, light and air.

The environment is dotted with accents of colour, such as an orange tub chair or a lime-green footstool. These colour nutrients enrich the visual aesthetics and provide an extremely rich and warming climate to work in.