A/D/O was a design institute commissioned by MINI / BMW as an incubator for design innovation and entrepreneurship, centered on issues of urban livability and mobility. Inspired by our client’s aspiration to actively encourage the cross-pollination of ideas, our design was guided by the principle of re-mixing. Rather than simply divide the existing warehouse space into zones for different activities, we created fluid connections between the work, restaurant, event and retail spaces.
When we rehabilitate post-industrial sites, an important goal is to create strong visual connections across old boundaries. At A/D/O we sought to re-mix our new interventions with select aspects of the existing factory in unexpected ways. A triangular section at the southwest corner of the building was removed, replacing an opaque facade with full glazing that connects to the neighborhood from within. A continuous interior public space fluidly connects to the restaurant and courtyard.
A/D/O was open from 2016-2020, a much shorter life than originally envisioned for the project. While open, it hosted over 400 events, from rotating art installations to educational symposia and lectures by many of the leading global design minds, from Alice Rawsthorn to Yves Behar and Laila Gohar; and contributed to the field of design research and writing through its online Journal, as well as ambitious research initiatives investigating critical issues of our time.
