Aon Office, Israel

AON Israel, the Israeli representative of AON – the world’s leading international insurance brokerage, operating from its headquarters in Ramat Gan’s Diamond Exchange complex – requested Setter Architects to renovate its offices and rejuvenate the work environment to match the style of global technology firms.

During the preliminary planning stage, it was decided to demolish the entire floor and design new flagship offices for the company, that would allow the company to work in the ‘hybrid model’ method, which combines working from home one day a week with working from the office the rest of the week. Accordingly, Setter Architects designed the workstations using the hot desking/ sharing method – each employee has a locker for personal belongings – and the transition to the paperless working method is being implemented.

In the planning process, they took into account that all employees, including the managers, would work in a transparent open space, with an emphasis on very high-level acoustics. In addition, for privacy, they designed dedicated storage units that separate the work area from the public passageways. The design concept merged innovation and modernity with a warm and congenial feeling for the company’s employees, with numerous meeting rooms and collaboration stations, plus strong emphasis on as many wellbeing areas as possible for the employees’ benefit.

As part of the design concept, it was important for the company to integrate corporate branding into the office space. The logo’s red color is reflected in several elements, such as the mesh ceiling in the reception area, the frames of the suspended ceilings, graphics, and in the furnishing items. Additional motifs and key phrases from the company’s brand book relating to the company’s corporate culture, adorn the walls of meeting rooms and the open space areas, and are reflected in various two- and three-dimensional mediums.
Desk marking drew inspiration from aircraft-seat marking. Every morning, employees book the desk they’ll go to at the start of the working-day. The work area is equipped with advanced work equipment such as electric desks, two large screens for each employee, and noise-filtering headphones. Greenery and suspended light fixtures imbue the work-stations with a warm, cozy feel. Small meeting-rooms, separate the open space to create little ‘neighborhoods.’ The entrance area to the office has a powerful, impressive design that welcomes guests and clients. The brand colors have a presence throughout the space.
Next to the reception desk are two elegant conference rooms, with an electric partition between them; during meetings, the clear glass windows turn opaque. The conference table is made of black leather, with a grid ceiling above it, which gives the room a luxurious yet innovative look.

The project’s highlight is the generous cafeteria, where the company invested especially for the employees’ wellbeing. The idea underlying the design was to give the sense of a restaurant in a plant-filled patio, and to provide a setting to hold informal meetings. The flooring simulates interlocking tiles. The garland lighting and plants hanging from the ceiling, all create an outdoor atmosphere. Offering a varied and cozy seating area, the cafeteria is equipped with top-line items – an induction hob, industrial refrigerator and dishwasher, ovens, and so on. The shelter has been adapted as a location for classes and leisure activities.
It’s already clear that the innovative design has built a sense of personal, social, and professional belonging, and the new work-style has actually boosted creativity and the sharing and interchange of ideas and information across the company.