A "Carnival of Ideas", Ogilvy & Mather's new Guangzhou office, wins Fortune magazine's 2008 China's Most Successful Designs Award

China, embracing globalization with its heart and soul, is increasingly open and accommodating to creativity in arts and design. China is now seeing not only more outwardly grand expressions of creativity in the form of iconic architecture such as the already legendary Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium; the country is also experiencing a surge in creatively designed interiors for corporate workspaces.

The one-formula-fits-all cubicle style office space no longer reigns. International designers, planners, engineers and builders M Moser Associates is leading the way in creating workplace environments in China that actively support and inspire people in their everyday work, spaces such as the award winning Ogilvy & Mather Guangzhou office.

Ogilvy & Mather, a major player in the global advertising industry, is especially keen to have its office space be an inexhaustible source of inspiration for its staff in their daily generation of ideas against demanding deadlines. Looking to revitalize its brand image in the southern China market, Ogilvy & Mather chose to relocate its Guangzhou office from a prime CBD building to a newly developed arts and culture hub based in the city-fringe, which enjoys fantastic views of the historical Sha Mian district across the Pearl River. M Moser as the designated designer capitalized on the unique ambiance and the generous ceiling height on the ground floor to create a stimulating workspace themed on carnival of ideas.

The design inspires Ogilvy's 360 degree thinking. The pivot point is a branded and tilted red staircase at the heart of the double-floor space. Vertically it connects marketing on the ground floor and creative staff above. Horizontally it playfully defines the boundary between client meeting and break out spaces in the front and office space at the back. The staircase sends people on an explorative journey through 4-dimensional space-time, enticing people to discover the myriad angles and viewpoints along the way through glass viewing panes, openings and a bridge connecting a balcony to a mezzanine loft.

"The award is a great recognition of this radiant design. It is a creative space inspiring creative ideas. It is so refreshingly fun, our people simply love it here. They visibly enjoy coming to work more, even though for many people it means double the commuting time." Raves Michael Lee, Chief Operating Officer, Ogilvy Shanghai & Southern China, "our clients like this space so much, some of them specifically request that meetings take place here rather than in their own office!"

Now in its third year, China's Most Successful Designs Award, sponsored by Fortune magazine, recognizes design solutions that effectively further the client's long-term business success. M Moser's project is the first time an interior design solution has been honoured with this award. "The concept of workplace as a strategic tool to support business goals is a new one in China, but it's definitely becoming a recognized trend here, as this award is quick to identify." Says Wendy Leung, Director at M Moser Associates, "A well designed workplace is an invaluable asset in showing to the outside world who you are and in bringing the best out of your own people."

For more information on the award, please visit www.fortunechina.com or www.shcbi.com.