The design and layout of an office isn’t just for functionality. It helps to improve efficiency and mood, boosting creativity and productivity within a company. Looking around you to see wilting indoor plants, boring white walls and basic office furniture, all illuminated by harsh white fluorescent lighting is likely to encourage a stress headache, but not a lot more.
So our friends over at easyoffices.com set out to find some of the most creative and unusual office designs, not with the intentions that we all spend millions on recreating them, but to hopefully impart a little inspiration on how to create an overall more inspiring working environment.
Google’s Zurich Office – Going Down
Who better to start us off than the King of awesome offices, Google! The tech giant didn’t get to where they are today on their own. There are millions of employees worldwide who help grow and improve their company on a daily basis, and so Google decided to spend a few of their billions in profit paying homage to the employees worldwide who make it happen.
Every Google office has its own unique features to boost employee happiness and productivity, but we particularly like their Zurich headquarters. The in-house coffee shop has a unique way of gaining entry from the floors above, via a large metal slide. There are also ‘firemen’ style poles for getting to floors below, a relaxation room with large aquariums and baths for you to have a soak, penguins, a “ski” zone and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!
Bearstech’s Paris Office – Welcome To The Bear’s Cave
This interesting Paris office design by Paul Coudamy was apparently a literal interpretation of both the company name and their employees, the IT geeks, as being ‘recluses’! Although the initial idea might sound a bit offensive, staff at the Paris office love their new ‘Bear’s Cave’ office design, which incorporates ‘tornados’ of recycled wood spreading from ceiling to floor, cleverly hiding away the typical office staples such as plugs and projectors to create a cosy cave feel.
Prisma’s Austrian Office – Bringing The Outdoors In
The automotive engineering company brought in designers SPLITTERWERK to create a creativity boosting workspace, and the result is quite beautiful. The designers dubbed the office design ‘The Frog Queen’, after they decided to bring the beauty of the surrounding meadows inside. After all, what is more inspiring than the vision of a rolling countryside?
Madison Ave Collective’s Oregon Office – Make It Your Own
Just as Google highlight the importance of rewarding and valuing your employees as they are the foundations of your business, this graphic focused Madison Ave Collective decided to take it one step further when they designed their new offices. Rather than bringing in a designer to create some fancy new office for them, they looked to the people who spend most of their time there, the staff. This quirky office was completely remodelled by the team of employees who work there, with a custom made mural and uniquely simple steel drum desks and bare chipboard cubicles, this office gives a firm nod to the company’s and their city’s culture.
Got an unusual office space you want to share with us? We’d love to see it!
