How Erwan and Nico created the ‘perfect’ workspace

By Bjorn Biel M. Beltran
WHEN celebrity entrepreneurs Erwan Heussaff and Nico Bolzico set out to build the perfect office space at Hectare One, they wanted a place that placed emphasis on collaboration and cohabitation.
What they ended up creating was the prototypical millennial workspace.
Hectare One — developed by Mundo Design + Build, a design firm and general contractor that specializes in the fit-out phase of design and construction — primarily serves as the office for the food and agriculture-related businesses under Mr. Bolzico’s LM10 Group of Companies and Mr. Heussaff’s studio for his cooking videos on his The Fat Kid Inside website.
“The whole purpose behind Hectare One from the beginning was to create a space where both Nico and my businesses could cohabitate,” Mr. Heussaff said in an interview with BusinessWorld.
“The need was a creative space where all these businesses can cohabitate and could also collaborate on certain projects. Which is why we wanted to create an open, transparent space, and a very timely new age working area that is still very functional at the same time,” he added.
Mr. Bolzico, who is married to Heussaff’s sister Solenn, said they sought to expand on his brother-in-law’s network of businesses, and create a space that will play to their strengths and inspire new ideas.
“Basically, it is like an incubator,” he said. “We have a lot of startups. We always keep it related to food and agriculture because that is our strength and that is what we want to focus on.”
Hectare One is the latest example of a new trend in office space development that does away with the traditional cubicle-format in favor of open and shared workspaces. This typical “new age” workspace is characterized by numerous communal areas, nooks, and an emphasis on collaboration and comfort, rather than privacy and function.

The millennial workspace is ditching the idea of compartmentalization and the conventional work-life balance, instead focusing on ways to integrate work with daily life in a holistic way.
“I think it is a case in point, we bring our dogs here, we spend maybe way too much time at the office, more than we would in our respective houses. We wanted to create a space where we can feel comfortable working and also comfortable socializing in.” Mr. Heussaff said.
Mr. Heussaff, who is married to actress Anne Curtis, said they want to have a space where they can also hold social events and invite their friends and clients.
“It’s really important for us to have that space, because both of us are dedicated to working. Somewhere where we can feel like even if we are in the office, it is not draining and it does not feel like work necessarily,” he added.
Mr. Bolzico agreed, saying the space not just allows them to accomplish their mission but also encourages people to work there.
“It’s a whole sense of belonging to the place, the whole Hectare One building plays a key role,” Mr. Bolzico said.
At the heart of Hectare One’s design is the food and agricultural aspect of the duo’s businesses. The earthy tones used in the office’s color palette drive home the look of the hectares of arable land, the image of which also gives Hectare One its name. The office’s many communal spaces are built to resemble modern living rooms rather than office lounge areas.
“I do think the office is driven more by our values rather than anything else,” Mr. Heussaff said.“First and foremost, to house our businesses, but also to give employees who work here a great working space where they feel at home, where they feel comfortable.”