Rice Creative Office – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Amidst the uncertainty of the COVID era a few years ago, this project emerged as a hopeful vision for the future of workplace design, a light-forward, health-conscious environment. Set in an old building in Ho Chi Minh City, the space was reimagined with care: a renovation that respects both the Past, the Planet, and the City. Through a thoughtful lighting concept, the office redefines what a responsible creative studio can be, a statement, a definition, and an innovation for the “new future” of a workplace.
Vietnam has many aging buildings with rich potential. This project shows how we can transform them into vibrant spaces, offices, schools, cultural hubs, or community centers. With this renovation, kobi joins hands with the future of office design.
Creating the First Office Responsible for Light
The ambition was to build a workspace where lighting is thoughtful and sustainable. Instead of replacing existing fixtures, the team reused and upgraded them, adopting a “re-lamping” strategy that saved materials and reduced waste. Alongside these efforts, new lights were developed using recyclable-recycled plastic, integrating circular design into the workspace.
Three recyclable recycled lighting products emerged: the Corretto Atelier of Lights’ lamps, designed for clarity and focus, balancing minimalism with strong functionality; and the Scialytique lamp, offering full-spectrum, adjustable lighting that empowers designers to experiment with color and texture in real time; and the Workmate lamp, made from recycled plastic and built for hands-on use. Flexible and ergonomic, it features an 800mm bendable arm, anti-glare honeycomb, magnetic mounting, and a movable steel base. The Workmate Pedant lamps are inspired by stage lights, they deliver flexible, directional lighting wherever you need it. Made from recycled plastic and featuring a rotatable design with an anti-glare honeycomb, it offers comfort, precision, and a warm, ergonomic glow.
The result is a work environment that’s ergonomic, energy-smart, and deeply human.
Balancing Natural Light and Shadow
The space presented a challenge, one side flooded with sunlight, the other dim and enclosed. Instead of flattening these contrasts, the lighting system was designed to complement them, creating harmony throughout the day. Let nature happen. The result is a subtle interplay of light and shadow, enhancing comfort while syncing with natural rhythms. Light becomes a tool for clarity and calm, shaping zones without overwhelming them.
Lighting as a Catalyst for Collaboration and Creativity
In the post-COVID era, many still hesitate to return to shared offices. Lighting can play a role in reactivating collaboration and presence. Here, it does more than illuminate, it adapts to the needs of the team. Mobile, magnetized, and responsive to posture and visual needs, the system becomes a true workmate. It supports comfort, creativity, and productivity, proving that lighting can influence more than just aesthetics.
For many years, we’ve watched @rice evolve, experiment, and stretch the limits of creative practice. This collaboration brings that same spirit to their physical space, where light inspires, adapts, and helps redefine what it means to work WELL.
Client: Rice Creative Studio
Collaboration: Corretto Atelier of Lights
Lighting designer & consultant: kobi lighting studio
Photographer: PHOTO L. DUVAL
Scope of lighting design: Lighting Concept Design | Lighting Detail & Technical Design | Lighting Control & Automation Design | Lighting Authorship Supervision | Lighting Audit