The office of the engineering company Di Energy is located in a new building in the Darnytskyi district of Kyiv. Its panoramic windows overlook the Dnipro River and the city’s right bank. The core idea of the project was to create a workspace that communicates order and clarity and, at the same time, functions as a showroom for the engineering systems the company supplies.

Designed for a team of 12–16 people, the interior underwent a complete spatial rethink. The original layout of seven separate rooms connected by a long corridor was dismantled. The corridor was removed, and the space was reorganised according to the logic of daily workflows. The new plan includes an open workspace for engineers and project managers, a meeting room, several dedicated workrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a compact storage area.

Created specifically for an engineering team, the project’s character is intentionally restrained. Decorative excess was deliberately avoided to allow engineering to take centre stage. “I wanted to create a kind of ‘clean slate’ for the engineering networks – without hiding anything – to show how engineering works by turning ventilation pipes into a rhythmic decorative element,” says designer Anna Makukha.

Ventilation pipes, air-conditioning units, diffusers, heat pumps, and other systems are openly integrated into the interior, forming its structure and visual rhythm. At the same time, these solutions are incorporated with precision and restraint, so they do not overwhelm the space and can easily fade into the background without explanation. The showroom concept is most clearly expressed in the meeting room, which features a full-scale boiler room mock-up with all its components. It allows clients to see the equipment in operation and better understand how it functions. Laconic furniture – an oval table with a solid base, lightweight chairs with textile upholstery, a linear pendant light, and semi-transparent curtains – reinforces a sense of openness and trust.

The colour palette is strictly monochrome – layered shades of grey and cool metal tones, accented by deep black. This approach creates an ideal backdrop for the engineering systems and draws attention to detail. “When colour is reduced to a minimum, the eye starts to notice other things – the curve of a pipe, the grain of wood, the flawless smoothness of steel,” the designer notes.

One of the key challenges was maintaining the minimalist concept and the clarity of solutions, particularly during the lengthy process of selecting the right shades of grey. Black veneered panels and furniture introduce clear horizontal and vertical lines, structuring the interior and setting its rhythm.

Concrete, concrete-effect plaster, and self-levelling floors underline the industrial nature of the space. Glass maintains a sense of lightness and air, metal reflects light and reinforces the technical aesthetic, while wood acts as the only warm material – adding acoustic comfort and a sense of balance, and grounding the interior visually.

Overall, the office conveys calm, composure, and a clear distance from the chaos outside. Free from visual noise, the space allows focus to remain on work rather than distractions. It is an environment where exposed engineering and industrial materials coexist with comfort, creating optimal conditions for concentrated, intellectual work.