Global Technology Company
The campus, covering 34,000 square meters and accommodating close to 2,000 employees, was designed by RKD Architects and Gensler, with a clarity of focus around creating a uniquely inspiring workspace which connected the story of the space to its people
Location
Dublin, Ireland
designed by
Gensler

This global tech company's new European Headquarters in Leopardstown, Dublin, is an exceptional office development which defies previous innovation boundaries with a space encouraging the discovery and exploration of uncharted waters! The campus, covering 34,000 square meters and accommodating close to 2,000 employees, was designed by RKD Architects and Gensler, with a clarity of focus around creating a uniquely inspiring workspace which connected the story of the space to its people. The project aimed to bring together diverse teams, encouraging creativity, and fostering a sense of unity and common purpose among the staff.

Designed and created in tune with the concept of an island, the office design integrates various topographies, each representing different functions and promoting certain activities and interactions between employees. The resulting space showcases an impressive blend of technology, sustainability, and a human-centric approach to redefine the workplace as we know it today.


The architects at Gensler and RKD Architects conceived the design concept around an island, symbolizing the unity seeking to be created when diverse teams were bought together into one place. Each section of the office represents a different topography with associated functions, transforming a traditional office into a dynamic and interconnected workspace, based on a story synonymous with the company's brand.

The entrance welcomes employees and visitors, serving as the first impactful point of contact and ‘Harbour’ to dock in when visiting. Employees are greeted with a digital lake and LED waterfall which cascades down several levels, forming the sides of workstations. What ensues is mesmerizing visual experience, which can also be used for client presentations, setting the tone for an out-of-world journey into the physical manifestation of the company's unmistakable brand.


A dedicated social and networking area encourages informal interactions and team bonding, fostering a sense of community within the client's workforce, through the formation of a ‘Beach’. This is an important topography which helps to transition the space from the Harbour to the internal ‘Grassland’ and central ‘Mountain’ regions.

The Grassland is an open-plan working area which works and serves as the heart of the office, promoting collaboration and productive collisions among teams arranged in neighbourhoods. The absence of official offices allows executives and interns to work together, fostering a sense of camaraderie and openness, as well as growth towards realising the full potential in everyone.


The Mountain is located on the upper levels and is an area curated and designed for learning and discovery. It houses the community focused DreamSpace which is an innovation and education hub that aims to host thousands of students and promote technology education. This provision for the tech community is testament to the client's enthusiastic approach to investing in future generations to leave a legacy.

Spacestor worked with SIG Workplace on a furniture solution where they supplied multiple pods from their Residence range which create iconic enclosures within the workplace, providing a serene sanctuary for quiet, uninterrupted working. Inspired by the beautiful ‘residences’, modern, innovative houses built by leading architects throughout the 20th century, these space-efficient pods provide private space using a minimum floor area. The Residence Work was chosen to provide a singular booth, boasting a constant flow of fresh air with built in air vents and extremely high acoustic quality for employees to make private calls or complete focused work productively.

The design team at Gensler involved experts from various departments, including landscape architects and retail designers, to create a human-centric environment that caters to the diverse needs and interactions of the employees. Bringing specialist knowledge from varying industries means the space goes further than providing a workspace, the island concept ensures the office is a hub which fosters chance encounters and purposeful collisions, encouraging spontaneous exchanges and knowledge sharing through an aesthetically stunning medium.


The campus incorporates sustainable features such as rainwater harvesting, on-site spice and food cultivation through hydroponic technology, and rooftop beehives to harvest honey. These eco-friendly initiatives align with the creative food and beverage strategy, designed by Tricon. The programme was unique, maintaining values of unity and creativity through building multiple F&B counters into one level of this experiential ‘world’.  Offering a range of choices and flexibility for lunch breaks, the facilities include an Italian Quarter serving authentic fired pizzas with a view overlooking the racecourse, a Street Food kitchen for quick and quality food, and the Farmers’ Market offering with a deli and wholesome breakfast options. Knead freshly bakes bakery goods, stamped with the company's logo and Cortado, the office coffee bar, roasts a bespoke blend of coffee beans onsite which are unique to the company.

 


 


 


 


This new location has been hailed as a game-changer for the client's operations in Ireland. Facilitating a cultural transformation and bringing employees from diverse backgrounds and nationalities together as one cohesive team was the aim and result of this mind-blowing project. The open-plan layout, absence of formal offices, and strategically designed collaborative spaces have encouraged cross-functional collaboration, enabling teams to work together on projects they may not have considered previously.


A project that showcases the impact and engagement of a compelling story, this project is a remarkable example of a successful and unifying workplace transformation. Expertly curated from the outset, the island concept, with its diverse topographies and innovative features, has redefined the way employees work and interact, fostering a culture which forges ahead for the better, as the global tech company continues to drive innovation and technological breakthroughs in the modern day. A new campus, built on a new story, delivering a new impetus to discover the power of experiential design!