Green like olives and red like tomatoes. And with glossy stone, arches and great design. This is not a snapshot of a trip to Italy, but a new office in Poznan, the interior of which was created in the mode:lina™ studio. Is that enough to breathe the spirit of Italian openness and culture with ancient roots into the work space?
In the case of the office building on Wujka Street in Poznań, the Italian inspiration is not accidental. The project was created for a space where three companies belonging to the Gruszka family - MJG, IndexFood and Vininova- will find a home. The last two are linked to the Apennine Peninsula by their business profile. IndexFood is in the business of bringing Mediterranean products to Poland - the finest pasta, olives and Italian sweets. True to its name, Vininova specializes in selling wines. Although they offer liquors from all over the world, as is well known, Italy is considered one of the capitals of the beverage. The choice of a theme for the interiors of the consortium's new headquarters could therefore be no different.
The offices of MJG, IndexFood and Vinino in Poznan.
photo: Patryk Lewinski, design: mode:lina™
When reaching for inspiration, we wanted to reflect what we value most in Italian culture - harmony, openness and commitment to quality. Instead of literal quotations, we opted for subtle references: a warm color palette, natural materials and the motif of arches, which appears throughout the space as a contemporary interpretation of classic Italian architecture
- explains Katarzyna Majewska-Kremska, designer from the mode:lina™ studio.
The offices of MJG, IndexFood and Vinino in Poznań.
photo: Patryk Lewinski, design: mode:lina™
Little Italy in Poznan
The mode:lina™ studio team had a 620-square-meter space to develop located in an office building at 9 księdza Jakuba Wujka Street in Poznań's Wilda district. The four-story building was designed by Warsaw-based studio JEMS Architekci, and its construction was completed in August 2024. Eleven months later, in July 2025, the offices arranged in Italian fashion were ready. How did the designers at mode:rope breathe the Italian spirit into the walls of the new office building?
The offices of the companies MJG, IndexFood and Vinino in Poznań.
photo: Patryk Lewinski, design: mode:lina™
background, accent and wooden thread
Colors are among the most stimulating visual stimuli. Our brain also responds to them the fastest - even before it processes information about shape, space or the meanings they carry. Color stimuli instantly stimulate our emotions, and in the long run can influence the maintenance of a state of focus (or lack thereof). Therefore, the conscious selection of colors in interior concepts can be one of the most important decisions made at the design stage. In the case of the MJG office in Poznań, the mode:lina™ studio team opted for a conglomerate of three colors - olive green, intense red and deep brown.
The office of MJG, IndexFood and Vinino in Poznan.
Photo: Patryk Lewinski, design: mode:lina™
The former forms the background - the matte "olive" is found on the installations, exposed under the ceilings and on much of the wall panels, curtains or furniture built-ins. The dark tones of the olive color lend elegance to the interior, promoting calm and concentration.
The office of MJG, IndexFood and Vinino in Poznan.
photo: Patryk Lewinski, design: mode:lina™
A counterpoint to the "subdued base," as the authors of the project describe it, are the red accents that dominate the detail. Thus, red are the upholstery of some of the furniture and individual parts of the furniture development, as well as elements of the installation and the slats from which the partitions were built. The role of brown - the third color, which is the basis of the interior design of the MJG office building - is due to the materials used. And this is already a separate theme in the Poznan project.
The offices of MJG, IndexFood and Vinino in Poznań.
photo: Patryk Lewinski, design: mode:lina™
antique theme in a Poznan office building
The use of wood, with which parts of the corridors running around the central space were clad, is responsible for the large expanses of deep brown surfaces. These are not ordinary wall moldings, but carefully crafted carpentry details - recesses were made in the walls to house seating, a bookshelf and even a wine display. While such touches don't have much of an impact on the functionality of the office, they certainly lend it an identity, relating to the profile of the companies served, and help create a homey atmosphere, increasingly valued due to the expectations of employees in a post-pandemic reality.
The offices of MJG, IndexFood and Vinino companies in Poznań.
Photo: Patryk Lewinski, design: mode:lina™
The second material evoking Italian associations and used in the Poznan realization is stone. It was mainly used to make the counters, referring to precious marbles, which are one of the symbols of Italian architecture. The marble, stringy pattern also appeared on the wall lamps, illuminating one of the office rooms. However, the Italian inspiration does not end with the use of marble.
The office of the companies MJG, IndexFood and Vinino in Poznań.
photo: Patryk Lewinski, design: mode:lina™
The basic formal motif used by the mode:rope team is the arch. The designator of architecture from the time of the Roman empire in the Poznan office materialized in the architectural niche, in the passageways and even in the furniture development. Some of the furniture and furnishings, by the way, also come from Italy - such as the Passoni company's chairs and the intense red Pavoni cult coffee machine.
The offices of MJG, IndexFood and Vinino in Poznań.
photo: Patryk Lewinski, design: mode:lina™
la dolce vita
Italian inspirations, however, did not end with the choice of colors, materials and products. They also influenced the way the space in the office was shaped to create a place that is friendly, conducive to cooperation and community:
The new office was designed to combine community and individual comfort. The open space fosters cooperation between companies, while everyone has the opportunity to work in focus. We placed great importance on the quality of the materials, because we believe that the environment in which we spend a large part of our lives affects not only the results of our work, but also our well-being and the relationships we build
- explains Joanna Grzemska, CEO of MJG Group.
The offices of MJG, IndexFood and Vinino in Poznań.
photo: Patryk Lewinski, design: mode:lina™
Functionality is ensured by clear zoning of the building, which offers a variety of spatial typologies: "from common areas for teamwork, to semi-open meeting spaces, to areas for individual work." As mode:lina assures, the office is also designed to be flexible, allowing for adaptation to future conditions and needs. But doesn't such a well-thought-out space regret rearranging it?
