Floene
General Contractor — Vector Mais
Project — Fragmentos
Project Management — Alphalink
Area — 1.870m²
Location — Lisbon
The Floene Group is Portugal's largest gas distribution operator, operating in over a hundred municipalities from north to south. To renovate its headquarters, the company tasked Vector Mais with the project at Torres de Lisboa, with architectural design by the Fragmentos studio. Spread across three floors of Tower A, the office design is rooted in Floene's identity, showcasing various environments that incorporate the brand's blue palette and repurposed old gas meters as decorative elements.
The workspace combines open areas with enclosed spaces that serve as offices or meeting rooms, offering diverse environments for working, collaborating, and socializing. The project entailed a complete reconfiguration of the three floors, including modifications to the interior layout and all finishes. In this design, the ceilings play a significant role in guiding the users through the space, featuring curved cutouts and zigzagging LED lighting. With an emphasis on simplicity and timeless design, the office is complemented by wooden partitions and a carefully curated selection of furniture, ensuring comfort and functionality.
“The work done by Vector Mais was crucial in facilitating a significant shift for Floene. They effectively translated our values and strategic objectives into a workspace that caters to both the current and future needs of our employees. From the outset, they recognized the importance of creating an environment that promotes productivity and creativity while also enhancing our corporate culture and fostering connections among colleagues. Vector Mais' team demonstrated great sensitivity in interpreting our vision for a fluid space that minimizes divisions and encourages integration. Furthermore, they successfully addressed the challenge of bringing employees back to the office after an extended period of remote work. The resulting space embodies our commitment to fostering a welcoming environment that inspires collaboration, innovation, and well-being, and our employees have embraced it wholeheartedly.”
Luísa Pessoa
Facilities Manager | Floene
What is the importance of the new office for Floene?
The new office is crucial for strengthening Floene’s corporate culture. The architecture of the space, the brand’s presence, and thoughtfully considered decisions focused on functionality and comfort directly impact the productivity, creativity, and well-being of employees. In a hybrid work model, which combines remote and in-office work on a rotational basis, it is essential to address employees' varying needs. The office must be an appealing and functional environment that fosters creativity, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. At the same time, it is important to mitigate the challenges of new remote work habits, which can strain interpersonal relationships and weaken the emotional connection between the organization and its employees. This space was designed to balance these dynamics, strengthen internal bonds, and provide an inspiring and welcoming environment that encourages connection, well-being, and innovation.
What were the premises for the project?
The project was conceived in response to the transformations of the post-pandemic era, where many employees became accustomed to full-time remote work. The primary goal was to create a space that encourages a return to the office, fostering an environment that values collaboration, integration, and team spirit while also being equipped for digital and technological remote interactions. The main message from Floene and the project team was clear: every employee is part of a whole, and physical coexistence is essential for sharing ideas, connecting departments, and facilitating fluid relationships among colleagues, all under the company’s values. To achieve this, we designed an environment that promotes unity and versatility, avoiding divisions or barriers that segregate teams while ensuring the coexistence of both in-person and remote work systems. The space features a design that is not purely open-plan and monotonous but allows permeability between areas. Our new office combines open spaces, collaborative zones, phone booths, meeting rooms, and flexible areas. This configuration provides fluidity and versatility, enabling employees to work in one area today and another tomorrow, all within an integrated and dynamic environment. This balance between functionality, flexibility, and corporate identity reflects Floene’s vision for the future of work.
“Two types of furniture elements stood out in Floene's project:
The first is the reception sofa, designed by the architecture firm and produced locally. This sofa adds movement and fluidity to the space with its pronounced curves. Its prominent size and vibrant blue color reflect Floene’s commitment to innovation and quality. The second element is the phone booths, a requirement from the client. These booths provide a smart and practical solution for creating private and functional areas within open spaces. They allow for important conversations or meetings without compromising privacy or disrupting the workflow of other employees.
The elegant aesthetic of the space was maintained, with the phone booths’ exterior finish matching the same white tone as the surrounding walls. This ensures an organized and harmonious environment. Sustainability was key in selecting the furniture, reflecting Floene’s values and concerns. All our furniture partners are certified, ensuring that we provide our clients with the best options in terms of sustainability.”
Ana Teixeira
Furniture Manager | Vector Mais
How was the process of selecting Floene's furniture?
Floene clearly understood its corporate culture and specific needs for its new offices, which was essential for making effective furniture choices. The Covid-19 pandemic significantly impacted the world of work, reinforcing the concept of hybrid work. Companies began to reevaluate both functionality and the workplace experience, recognizing that these factors strongly influence how much time employees are willing to spend in the office.
In this context, furniture becomes a powerful tool for transforming spaces and environments. Employees are increasingly attracted to various spaces, seating options, and experiences within the same office. At Floene, we created distinct work areas on each floor, offering a dynamic experience for all employees. We selected furniture pieces that stand out in size, shape, and function, subtly defining different workspaces through this selection.
The chosen pieces feature an aesthetic that conveys lightness, ensuring the spaces remain open while integrating seamlessly into the surroundings without becoming overly prominent. The entire color palette — used in lacquered surfaces, upholstery, and wood — was selected to create a welcoming and fresh environment, free from visual clutter, allowing only key elements to stand out.
In the cafeteria and auditorium areas, Floene's vibrant brand colors are present in blue elements that subtly spread throughout the space, appearing in small details such as the artwork displayed on the walls across all office floors.
