Credit One Kuwait Office / AGi Architects

Architects: AGi Architects
Location: Kuwait
Area: 2200.0 sqm
Project Year: 2015
Photographs: Juan Roldán

Architects In Charge: Joaquín Pérez-Goicoechea, Nasser B. Abulhasan
Architects Partners: Bruno Gomes,  Sara Barranco,  José del Campo, Ana López, Nima Haghighatpour, Hanan Alkouh, María Álvarez, Samer Mohammad

From the architect. Credit One Kuwait Holding Company offers automotive and logistic services. The company’s association with the car inspired the design concept of the building which centers on the car in terms of scale, motion and mechanics. Similar to the characteristics defining a modern car, Credit One aims to be eco-friendly, built using innovative materials and technologies, functional and aesthetically appealing.

The exterior of the building is streamlined with mirrored aluminum cladding to emphasize the industrial nature of the services offered. The bright surface creates a focal point which is used to attract visitors travelling by car along the adjacent highway. The front façade is lined with louvers that protect the building from the harsh southern sun. The louvers are oriented in two directions using two colors; silver mirror and Credit One’s corporate orange; this generates playful reflections off of the façade, changing the image of the building as the cars passing by change speed and direction. The building also shines at night; it is kept lit from the inside, symbolizing modernity and innovation.

The practicality behind operating a car is adapted to the internal function of the building. Each level is associated with a particular activity; the ground floor relates to the customers, the first floor is for management and the basement is for production.