Real Estate and Property Awards 2020

31 Real Estate & Property Awards 2020 BUILD Sep20308 Studio White is a multidisciplinary agency based in Shanghai and Europe working across the digital, design and property sectors. Following on from their success in the Real Estate & Property Awards 2020, we got in touch with Ana Sun to find out more. s an established name in architecture and interior design, Studio White have been focused on designing lifestyle serviced offices for energetic companies across China since inception. To begin with, Ana provides us with a brief overview of the firm and offers more insight into its typical client base. “Naturally, we focus on lifestyle spaces which steer away from the more square and boxy environments. By making use of curves, light, and lots of glass, we aid a more natural light flow throughout the spaces. Typically, the common spaces are relaxed and friendly, with the types of tenants being reasonably creative, including a mix of local companies and expat run enterprises. “Currently, we have an expanding Shanghai commercial property rental portfolio, designed and developed into lifestyle influenced spaces to attract companies who want a creative environment shared with other businesses with a similar outlook. Moving forward we will be looking for more opportunities in the UK flexible office sector.” Studio White have managed to attract clients through pricing deals and other offers, however, as Ana further explains, the firm have also won them over in spite of these offers. “We seem to win them over because they love the environment. Moreover, when you spend so much of your life in your workplace, it really makes a huge difference when your office space is friendly, informal, relaxed, full of plants, clean and is full of windows!” Today, the architecture and interior design world is an extremely competitive one to operate in, especially with so many firms providing similar products and services. However, as Ana goes on to explain, the team at Studio White keep things quite straight forward in their attempts to hold off competition. “Since forming, we have found that being open, straight-forward and offering good value is the best policy for us. Ultimately lifestyle makes our spaces somewhere that people want to be.” Currently, the commercial building sector in Shanghai is suffering from the oversupply of A grade buildings from the completion of a building boom combined with slowing growth, even before the current health crisis. Moreover, as Ana points out, this has altered the firm’s client profile somewhat. A “These A Grade office spaces are available for far less than they would have been just a few years ago. As we operate on the edge of the main CBDs and closer to residential areas, we have found that we have a different client profile. Smaller companies who do not have to be located in a specific business district and are not far from where people live (short commute).” In regards to the internal culture in place at Studio White, the hierarchy give members of staff a great deal of responsibility, which in turn leads to a positive working environment as Ana explains further. “As a whole, we have a friendly and hard- working ethic which allows to be fun and creative while allowing our staff to manage themselves and to take initiatives.” With the recent outbreak of COVID-19, tenants who had their businesses severely impacted had to cease trading. Despite this, as Ana goes on to explain the firm have still been able to prosper throughout these difficult times. “Fortunately, we have been able to fill those spaces quickly and with our strict cleaning regime in our office spaces this has probably helped reassure our tenants in the COVID-19 environment.” Finally, Ana commented on the future of Studio White and offered more insight into some of its plans moving forward. “Looking ahead, we would like to expand the brand and bring our philosophy to new spaces, firstly within Shanghai where more opportunities are presenting themselves, in spite of or because of COVID, especially for people to whom working from home is not really an option. Post COVID-19 we would like to explore opportunities within the UK, particularly in London areas where we will seek partnerships with building owners who are struggling to fill their office spaces, or who are looking to re- invent their spaces.” Company: Studio White Name: Ana Sun Web Address: www.studiowhitegroup.com Studio White Best Flexible Office Space Operator 2020 – China & Award for Innovation in Multidisciplinary Property Management 2020