The designers were tasked with creating a space for people whose daily work is to generate ideas. Beyond its high-profile advertising campaigns, banda agency is known for its innovative approach to processes and culture. The new office was envisioned not just as a workplace but as a manifesto – an embodiment of values. The project by ater.architects reflects openness, sincerity, craftsmanship, respect for history, vintage and contemporary art, refined taste balanced with deliberate imperfections, attention to detail, thoughtfulness, and self-irony.

“The clients wanted a cozy space that felt more like a large, bright apartment than an office,” says Yulia Tkachenko, architect and co-founder of ater.architects.

Banda agency’s office occupies the second floor of an early 20th-century building in Kyiv’s historic center on Yaroslaviv Val Street. “The space inspired us with its high ceilings and historical texture,” notes Tkachenko.

The building’s structure, with load-bearing walls, naturally divided the floor into separate rooms. Into this context, the architects integrated two cubic volumes, each topped with a mezzanine, while leaving the rest of the space open and adaptable. The entrance leads into a main hall with a stage, followed by a kitchen-dining room for employees and a workshop.

Visitors first encounter a typical wooden door – one that could easily have belonged to an official institution a century ago. To ensure authenticity, the architects sourced vintage glass with visible scale and imperfections.

The entrance walls are clad in oak panels, evoking the atmosphere of a conservative office. Behind them are hidden storage cabinets, while a large glass-fronted unit lightens the interior by allowing daylight from a window behind it.

The waiting area features red vintage armchairs by Swiss brand Dietiker, a coffee table from Ukrainian manufacturer Kint, and a naive painting by contemporary artist Danik Manzhos.

When dismantling the suspended ceilings left from the previous interior, the team uncovered original moldings and decorative friezes. These were carefully restored, preserving their presence in the space. Against this classical backdrop, the asymmetrical stainless-steel reception desk and minimalist Luceplan lamp create a striking contrast.

The main hall is furnished with soft seating groups and custom communal tables, evoking the atmosphere of an eclectic studio apartment. The zoning supports both small-group work and collaborative discussions.

Part of the hall is raised on a podium, transforming easily into a stage. Mobile custom tables and lightweight folding chairs allow the area to be cleared for presentations or separated from the rest of the hall with heavy fabric curtains. A grouping of sofas, vintage armchairs, and a glass table provides a relaxed spot for informal meetings.

The largest communal table seats twelve and is paired with bent plywood chairs from the late 1980s. On the nearby wall hangs a large painting by a Ukrainian artist, Serhii Dekaliuk. Low storage units subtly separate three additional furniture groups, each seating 3–5 people. These areas are furnished with restored vintage pieces and illuminated by carefully planned zonal lighting.

“Vintage furniture helped us create the atmosphere of an apartment with history that the client wanted. We searched across European dealers specifically for this project. Real finds include a leather sofa and armchairs by Eugen Schmidt for Soloform from the 1960s–70s, white Canouan armchairs by Italian brand Frag, and lightweight folding chairs from Chairworks,” Tkachenko explains.

The only dedicated workstations with monitors are located on the mezzanine above one of the central hall’s cubic volumes. Inside the veneered block are bathrooms and technical rooms. The bathroom design emphasizes brightness and comfort through ochre walls, round glass sconces, a striking quartzite sink-countertop, and a mirrored ceiling that doubles the light.

The second cubic volume houses meeting rooms and minimalist Zoom rooms, their doors with rounded glass panels reminiscent of Kyiv trams. The fuzzy, upholstered interiors of the Zoom rooms add comfort and acoustic insulation. Above them, a mezzanine lounge has become a favorite employee retreat. A steel ladder, borrowed from pool design, leads up to the “cloud lounge,” where the floor and walls are upholstered with mats printed in a sky motif. The playful setup allows staff to change their surroundings and recharge without leaving the office.

The kitchen-dining room, adjacent to the main hall, is anchored by a stainless-steel island and a wavy bar counter with Magis stools. Above hangs the Nuvola lamp by Italian designer Mario Bellini. Wooden cabinetry conceals appliances, while preserved paint swatches between the windows serve as a reminder of the design process. A work by artist Maxim Zabrodsky adds a touch of irony. The dining area is furnished with small tables and vintage Castelli chairs, zoned by lush plants that bring freshness to the space.

“One of the team’s special requests was to have a place for practical work, experiments, and creative exploration. That’s how the workshop came about – an open area integrated into the far hall,” says Oleksandr Ivasiv.

The workshop wall is lined with brushed aluminum pegboards, serving as a flexible system for storing tools and materials used in prototyping and model-making. Fittingly, the agency’s many awards are also displayed here – reminders that great results emerge from a meticulous creative process. A long light fixture, assembled from three Ikea lamps, hangs above the central worktable – proof that simple solutions can be the most effective.