THEssential Office is an architecture, design, and creative studio founded in 2022 by Timotei Hotea and Eduard Găleșanu. The essential way to create space means shaping every project around the user’s needs and lifestyle. We believe architecture has the power to transform society and the lives of those who inhabit it, and that a space tailored to its client supports mental well-being, becoming a familiar, safe place. Our work begins with listening: understanding habits, rhythms, and aspirations, then translating them into clear, functional, and inspiring environments. We believe architecture should stay close to nature, to people, to materiality, to sensations, and to spatial perception. Every project has its place in the world and must respond to its context, natural or human-made. Like clothing, architecture is an extension of yourself: it represents you in the world, affects others, and above all, shapes you.
Project description in English
The smoking room was one of our most satisfying projects, thanks to its small scale and the fact that we could closely supervise the execution. It is a compact metal pavilion designed as a space for relaxation and smoking. Conceptually, we aimed for a light, diaphanous structure that still feels protective, providing shade on the south-facing side. The object also brings visual clarity to an area marked by multiple, conflicting languages and functions. Beyond its use as a smoking space, it conceals a series of air-conditioning units placed on the façade and exposed to the public realm. This metal “lace” screens and protects during the day, then opens up at night, softly filtering the light that spills from the interior.
