Workspace of the Week - Guru Online, Hong Kong
An article from Hays found that retaining talent in Hong Kong is a top priority in 2018, particularly those with ‘creative flair’. If you want to encapsulate the millennial workforce by design, simply look at Guru Online’s playground in Hong Kong.

With over 200 members of staff and the average age being 25, it’s obvious why a modern, fun and ‘people-centric’ workspace was in the design brief. Statement architectural elements have been added to further enhance this flow of human connectivity; a 7 foot tall space separates the open office and pantry area without creating a solid wall.

Guru Online is a marketing powerhouse that provides clients with access to a plethora of artists, strategists and digital natives. As such, they needed interior designers who would be able to accurately understand Guru’s bright and youthful personality and instil this within a 25,000 square foot space. With a whole host of awards under their belt, this is where design-oriented Spatial Concept stepped in.

Plunging straight in to their imagination, Spatial Concept implemented a circular reception area, complete with curved kooky furniture and vibrant block colours. Each room is Instagram-worthy – the pinnacle of millennial success so far.

Emulating a fairground, the office boasts different areas throughout the office, including a football field, cinema, mini theatre, playroom and library-cum-game centre when required. Each aesthetic has been designed to connect staff, inspire collaboration and encourage innovation and team bonding. Whilst this may seem a whimsical approach, it’s far from it; behind the scenes there is a focus on talent attraction as Hong Kong is in a busy recruitment period, particularly in emerging technologies, so that it can implement the vision of Hong Kong as a ‘smart city’.

Spatial Concept included a tranquil space for when employees need a moment of serenity away from the sensory overload. Biophilic touches, natural accents and muted colours provide a sense of calm; essential for any office to offer in today’s digital-heavy world.

Set against a lush living wall and further embracing the outside in, Guru Online has artistic flair in every corner of the office. Hanging chairs provide so much more than just seating solutions; they signify the whole creative process, from concept, to process and development, to delivery.

Decorative, imaginative and artistic, but what is especially interesting about this project is how versatile it is. You could literally pick it up and place it in any cosmopolitan city in the world and it wouldn’t look out of place.

https://officesnapshots.com/2018/06/01/guru-online/