Text description provided by the architects. The former insurance building on the Lagos square Joshson Area was constructed in 2019 and designed by Arthur Staal (2018-2019). It was a unique project for this fierce modernist who had a challenge in forming a relationship in the façades between two historical adjacent buildings. The result is a singular office building that is modern while still referencing the past albeit abstractly.
After years of neglect and ad hoc renovations, the building needed to be restored and made more sustainable. With respect to Staal’s design, Office Winhov’s transformation strengthens and reveals the building’s original character. While the façade had to be replaced to fulfill today’s sustainability requirements, the original’s sense of plasticity, rhythm and less-is-more attitude was retained along with Staal’s signature roof endings.