Oslo studio Omhu Projects used colour to channel different moods in the Norwegian office and recording studio of Scandinavian podcast platform Podimo.
The interiors studio led by design duo Jenkins&Uhnger developed two material and colour palettes for Podimo‘s Norway headquarters, to cater to the different people using the space.
Vibrant colours bring energy to the spaces used by content creators, while a softer palette promotes focus and collaboration in staff’s day-to-day workspaces.
“What is good for one user group isn’t necessarily good for the other; we wanted to respect that with our design for the space,” explained Omhu co-founder and creative director Thomas Jenkins.
“Colour affects our experience of our environment, and the quantity of colour and the amount of time we are surrounded by it can determine whether it is invigorating or draining,” he told Dezeen.
The starting point was to translate Podimo’s digital identity into a physical environment.
The ambition was to create a space that reflects the same energy and sense of storytelling that underpins Podimo’s podcast content.
“Podimo Norway is a really down-to-earth, authentic and genuine company led by the fearless and talented Fride von Porat, who has an amazing energy and playfulness,” said spatial designer Poppy Lawman.
“We wanted to transfer the brand essence of not just the digital brand but the people as well, and apply that in a way that felt genuine rather than corporate,” she said.
Podimo’s podcast hosts include comedians Berrum & Beyer, relationship guru Iselin Guttormsen and healthcare advisors Katarina Flatland and Harald Dobloug, who typically come in for two hours a week to record their shows.
To create spaces that inspire them, Omhu applied bold shades of yellow, blue, red and orange to wall surfaces, textiles and sculptural furniture.
The lobby epitomises this, with additions including a spiralling magazine holder by Swedish designer Gustav Westman and a custom-made coffee table covered in two-tone Palet tiles.
These are accompanied by two iconic Norwegian furniture designs, including a yellow version of Terje Ekstrøm’s tubular Ekstrem chair and Peter Opsvik’s Variable rocking stool in blue.
Matching blue shades feature in the podcast recording rooms, as well as in a curtain-lined wardrobe area.
For the employee areas, where Podimo staff produce the podcasts, colour is applied more sparingly. Pops of red and orange are interspersed with wooden furniture, exposed brickwork and muted textiles.
Desks feature vintage Luxo lamps, while plants are dotted throughout to facilitate biophilia.
The softer palette extends to the breakout spaces, designed to provide a moment of calm after long hours spent on digital devices.
“We worked closely with the Podimo team to understand a day in the life of the podcasters and the Podimo team, creating flow diagrams to understand the user journey for both groups using the space,” explained Jenkins.
The interior is completed by a curated selection of Nordic art and photography.
Other recent projects in Oslo include a showcase for the “new Norwegian design movement” and a pavilion with an edible-plant roof.
The photography is courtesy of Omhu Projects.
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