Asics
Asics space was transformed into a space that is functional, collaborative, and creative and will adapt with their changes for years to come.
Understanding what drives the need for change
When the Tangram team first walked into Asics' Irvine headquarters, they encountered a striking disconnect. Here was a company renowned for groundbreaking athletic footwear innovation and cutting-edge research and development, yet their workspace told a different story entirely. The furniture was outdated and clunky, creating barriers rather than bridges between the creative minds driving the company's next breakthrough products.
The real challenge went deeper than aesthetics. Asics' design teams needed spaces that could seamlessly integrate their core work process - product development. Prototype shoes, sample materials, and design iterations needed to live within reach of designers and researchers, not hidden away in distant storage areas. The existing workspace forced collaboration into cramped corners and made showcasing work samples an awkward afterthought. For a brand built on performance and innovation, their environment was actively working against them.
How we brought the vision to life
Tangram's design partnership with Asics began with understanding how athletic product development actually happens. The team spent time observing how designers moved between individual focused work and collaborative sessions, how prototypes needed to be accessed and displayed, and where the creative energy naturally flowed throughout the day.
The solution centered on intelligent integration rather than wholesale replacement. Tangram combined robust Steelcase furniture systems with thoughtfully crafted custom storage solutions, creating workstations where rolling racks and show boxes became natural extensions of each designer's workspace. Brand colors weren't just painted on walls - they were woven into the workstation design itself, creating visual energy that reinforced Asics' athletic identity. Meeting areas were reimagined as dynamic collaboration zones where teams could spread out prototypes, gather around design iterations, and move fluidly between individual work and group problem-solving.
2 solutions from 1 manufacturers
Amia
The Amia chair was designed by Steelcase, in collaboration with industrial designer,Thomas Overthun of IDEO. “Innovations such as the LiveLumbar™ mechanism have been incorporated into the overall shape rather than made explicit on the chair’s outside. Technology quietly serving, rather than drawing attention to itself, seemed appealing in the context of today’s information overload. This, combined with an attention to detail and materials, allowed us to realize Amia’s calm and refined design.” — Thomas Overthun
Amia
The Amia chair was designed by Steelcase, in collaboration with industrial designer,Thomas Overthun of IDEO. “Innovations such as the LiveLumbar™ mechanism have been incorporated into the overall shape rather than made explicit on the chair’s outside. Technology quietly serving, rather than drawing attention to itself, seemed appealing in the context of today’s information overload. This, combined with an attention to detail and materials, allowed us to realize Amia’s calm and refined design.” — Thomas Overthun
1 professionals brought this vision to life
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