Designing an office means taking into account a number of factors: practicality is one, and the overall environment another. You want somewhere that the people who work in the office will enjoy being in for long periods of time, and that offers enough light and comfort for their needs.
We took a look at 7 modern office designs that take the old concept of a room in which people work, throw it away, and offer something far more impressive.
Digital Luxury Group
The offices of DLG, a digital marketing company in Geneva, Switzerland, are not like offices at all. It’s more akin to a living space, with various areas encouraging relaxation in comfortable, simple and clean workspaces.
This is a modernist workplace with clever floating lighting, and a series of separate meeting rooms, plus large windows for added natural light. The effect is a stunning space that encourages interaction and is an enjoyable place to work.
Slack
The amazing office spaces at Slack’s headquarters in San Francisco – they make business software – have to rank as one of the most beautiful and inspiring workplaces anywhere.
Each level represents – and reflects – the environment of the Pacific Crest Trail, which takes in a wide variety of different landscapes, with the ground floor featuring tent-like meeting spaces, right up to the 9th floor that is adorned with glass panels that alter their colour depending up how you look at them, representing the icy surface of a glacier.
Vital Proteins
Chicago-based health supplement company Vital Proteins has designed its offices to be open-plan, with an airy feel and plenty of natural light, yet it’s one particular feature that stands out: the staircase.
The large central staircase doubles as a meeting area, both for small one to one meetings and larger meets where all employees are invited, while beneath the stairs the room is utilized as a coffee shop, with a barista on hand, and collagen-coffee on the menu.
Wix.com
Light plays a major part in the offices of Wix.com, and there is plenty to be said for using 8 foot LED lighting as office lighting, alongside the use of colour for touches of fun and a light-hearted yet inspiring environment.
This is another office space that uses a café as a central theme, an appealing concept that keeps the occupants happy and encourages them to mix, while the plentiful glass areas and modern furniture add an overall welcoming atmosphere with compartments for meetings and open spaces for more casual interaction.
Selgas Cano
There are some offices that simply take your breath away, so beautifully conceived they are. This example, the offices of architects Selgas Cano, is situated in a forest close to Madrid in Spain. It is designed to be a part of the environment around it, with glorious clean, minimalist lines and superb open working areas, and is half underground for added space.
The full-length glass wall is a stunning concept that invites natural light in, and the interior is arranged so that employees can move about, hold meetings and enjoy working in one of the most beautiful spaces in the world.
Red Bull Office, London
The Soho offices of energy drinks giant Red Bull are located in what were once five pubs, next to each other, in the Soho area of London. The idea of bringing five old, characterful buildings together may seem at odds with the truly modern, 21st-century company that Red Bull purports to be, but it works.
Keeping the old features of the original buildings, the lounge-style layout of the offices – which are on many levels – are perfect for Red Bull’s young, 20-something aspirational workforce, and unlike the coffee shops featured in some of these offices, the reception area becomes a bar by night!
Banhof
Who would have thought of repurposing an underground nuclear era civil defence centre into a stunning, 21st century office? This what Swedish internet service provider Bahnhof has done and it may be the perfect place to house its high-security servers.
One might think that working in a space 30 metres underneath the capital, Stockholm, would be depressing and dull, but not here: here, you get a massive saltwater fish tank, indoor waterfalls, and simulated daylight, all in a workspace that is capable of getting through a nuclear attack. It’s a spectacular space in every way.
The above seven offices show what can be done with a bit of thought. As we head full-on into the 21st century, so our time at work takes up more of our lives, and being able to work in a space such as the above is certainly a bonus.
These are just a few of many superbly conceived, beautifully designed office spaces that use light, glass, and innovation to make sure those within the are comfortable, inspired and able to enjoy their time at work.