Most employees look forward to leaving the office at the end of every work day, but the staff at Airbnb, Twitter and Facebook here might find that a more difficult task. These three multinationals recently moved to newer and bigger offices in Singapore, boasting creative open-concept designs and facilities that cater to the different ways people work and well-stocked pantries.
These workspaces are also designed with the welfare of employees in mind. Cases in point: all-day pantries, game rooms with foosball tables, catered lunches, and beer on tap. All three of these companies’ office interiors reflect the brands’ youthful and fun vibe, and are also modelled after other branches in the world. Get an inside look at what went into the design elements below.
Twitter’s common area features Peranakan-inspired floor tiles and metal window grilles, the ones commonly found in older housing estates. These were installed all throughout the open-concept office to make it feel airier and less congested. Wall planters were also installed to inject some greenery into the space.
The office adopted a more retro design with vintage-looking chairs in their hangout areas. Twitter’s vice-president of online sales for Asia-Pacific, Ms Aliza Knox, says the new space follows Twitter’s #Home4good philosophy, which the company stuck to when designing its offices. This explains the natural elements such as the plants, birds, and green and blue tones.
Forget formal set-ups. Of Airbnb’s 18 meetings rooms, 13 are modelled to look like the homes found on their property website. A bathtub takes centre stage in the Byron Bay meeting room. The actual Boat Shed in Australia has a tub where guests can soak in, but this one in the Airbnb office is converted into a table.
The design of the office was handed over to Singapore design firm Farm, but the staff also had a hand in decorating the space. Workers came together in small teams to source for decorations and furniture pieces similar to the property on Airbnb that they picked.
Another fun tweak: Employees can sit at any desk on any level and have their own lockers. Those who want to get off their seats once in a while can head to standing desks, which can be adjusted according to height.
Facebook’s office design is proof of the company’s belief that recreation and relaxation are key ingredients in creativity and productivity. Taking on a more raw, industrial-style look, the office sports cement floors and exposed ceiling pipes. Facebook’s famed Wall in an open-concept gathering spot lets staff and visitors scribble and doodle on it.
To cut the hassle of waiting for gadgets, there are vending machines that dispense free technological necessities such as keyboards.
Facebook’s cafeteria also boasts a team of professional chefs – including a pastry chef – that man five food stations serving international, Indian and local cuisine. Three meals are available free to employees everyday, and some dishes use premium ingredients such as wagyu beef and foie gras.
An adapted version first appeared in The Straits Times on 9 April 2016.
Like this? Check out the 7 things you might not know about Marina Bay Sands.