Renovation and Interior Design Project for Mak System

Parallel Group Architectural Hub, a leading architectural interiors firm specializing in workplace solutions, collaborated with the advanced healthcare software development company Mak System on their new Skopje headquarters office.

Mak System tasked Property One Real Estate & Development and Parallel Group with creating a spacious, bright and collaborative space for the firm’s 1850m2, four-floor office space in Skopje's prime location in Karposh. The complete renovation and development project was performed by Adora Engineering team.

Property One and Parallel Group teams conducted a thorough workplace strategy and programming effort and determined that an agile workplace model would best suit this organization. With Mak System company situated on four floors, Parallel Group’s design team conceived each floor as a series of neighborhoods zones that serve as a home base for specific service lines and operating support groups. These neighborhoods allow employees to access a variety of spaces within a short distance, such as workstations, offices, phone booths, huddle rooms, lounges and open collaboration seating. Employees now have a variety of options to perform day-to-day tasks that perform to their preferred styles of work with greater accessibility to frequently used areas, crucial factor to successful hybrid work models.

Located on Mak System’s main floor, the workplace’s central hub features open space with client-facing gathering areas and amenity spaces to help foster a collaborative environment. These include a large café with multiple seating arrangements and an adjacent outdoor terrace. Two prominent conference rooms are located directly off the café, distinguished by operable walls that can be repositioned to create a larger space for company gatherings. The opposite side of the floor is dedicated to a client reception area, which provides a refined introductory experience for guests.

Project Planning

Property One’s change management team executed a 90-day intensive effort of meetings, sessions and surveys with Mak System's team members to better understand their needs in the workplace. Based on extensive interviews, data utilization and industry best practices, Property One and Parallel Group determined that the best way to create a collaborative, welcoming environment for the staff at Mak System was conceiving an agile workplace model.

The staff is composed of various teams over four floors, in which each one has a specific service and operating for the firm’s different departments. Parallel Group designed each floor as a series of neighborhoods to ensure employees have access to a variety of spaces within a short distance. The neighborhoods include workstations, private offices, phone booths, huddle rooms, lounges and open collaboration seating.

Project Details & Products 

Parallel Group incorporated sustainable design elements throughout the space to create workplace solutions built for longevity, productivity and enjoyment. Each floor presents its own signature color based on Mak System’s branded hues, which include blue, purple and red.

The team emphasized biophilic elements such as maximized access to natural lighting from expansive windows, as well as warm wood material finishes and built-in planters alongside the desks. In place of deskside storage cabinets, digital combination code lockers provide the hybrid staff with personal storage. For greater workplace efficiency, height adjustable desks were included in the offices and workstations.

Meeting the needs of the hybrid workforce, Parallel Group crafted meeting rooms with high-quality audiovisual media to advance the firm’s virtual community building. Primary meeting rooms, available in several sizes, are equipped with state-of-the-art video conferencing technologies and collaborative design elements such as writable walls. To foster in-person collaboration, an innovation lab allows team members to gather in a casual, agile setting with the help of moveable furniture and writable boards as well as adequate acoustics and audiovisual technology. 

To address employee use within the workplace, Parallel Group introduced several smart technology systems to monitor use of space. 

Project Results

As part of Property One’s change management efforts, a series of impact surveys and assessments were circulated to understand team members’ opinions, feelings and comments following the renovation. Findings from these assessments allowed the Property One change management team to determine metrics for success during and immediately after implementation in collaboration with Adora Engineering construction and development team and Parallel Group design team.

The overall feedback from the Mak System team members is overwhelmingly positive. The company’s staff and partners have successfully adjusted to the agile workplace design model. The phone booths and huddle rooms are frequently used by the staff. Additionally, the outdoor terraces are well received and are a favorite destination for the staff during the warm weather months.

Project Summary

In renovating Mak System’s new office building, Adora Engineering and Parallel Group also created a space that simultaneously accommodates the realities of today’s hybrid work, while creating a welcoming space for employees returning to the office. The updated office provides enhanced opportunities for collaboration and innovation among team members.

Property One and Parallel Group studied many planning options to comply with social distancing, for example larger desks, additional spacing between desks, collaboration zones and conference rooms. 

For the Mak System new office, Parallel Group designed an agile workspace that gives team members a variety of options to perform day-to-day tasks that serve to their preferred styles of work with greater accessibility to frequently used areas. This has proved to be a crucial factor to a successful hybrid model.

In addition to Parallel Group’s involvement in the architectural interior design process of the Mak System project, it also involved:

• General Contractor: Adora Engineering 
• Change Management: Property One Real Estate & Development 
• Office Furniture: IVM Office Furniture, Leyform office and lounge chairs, Bene Office Solutions lounge sitting