10 COOLEST CORPORATE CAMPUSES IN THE WORLD

The 10 Coolest Corporate Campuses in the World
By Gerri, Business Pundit, 1 October 2014.

For all of you high achievers out there, your workplace is probably the largest single place that you spend time in. While there have been some wacky theories over the years as to what type of office surroundings make more productive, when you see the perfect office, most of the times it’s obvious. From a corporate perspective, whatever keeps employees stress-free, in touch with the brand, and creative, often increases productivity. But this is easier said than done. And many firms throw tons of money at atrocious offices. For some inspiration, check out our picks for the ten best corporate campuses.

1. Dtac Headquarters, Bangkok

The largest ever office lease in Bangkok occupies 20 stories and around 662,000 square feet in the Chamchuri Square office building. Moved into so as to relocate Dtac teams previously housed in six separate buildings, the office space was meant to increase cooperation, creativity, and the ability to react to change.

Dtac’s brand approach “play and learn” was meant to be shown through the buildings design, whose winning bid came from the Australian architectural firm Hassell. Hassell used and complemented the massive space with tons of natural light, wood, and spaces employees can use purposefully.

Notable features include a massive circular library, indoor soccer, table games, a running track and performance spaces. The rooftop also boasts a terrace with beautiful Bangkok skyline views.

2. Selgas Cano, Madrid

Selgas Cano’s forest campus in Madrid isn’t nearly as flashy or over the top as many of the other campuses on the list, but that’s because it doesn’t have to be - it’s gorgeous. And you shouldn’t expect much else for the headquarters of a world class architecture firm.

The floors are dug into the forest floor (at eye level) for a view of what’s happening in the woods. Due to being slightly dug in, the office stays naturally cool in the summer. Half of the building is curved glass, letting in natural light through the day, while the other half of the overlay is covered for some shade out there in nature.

3. Corus Quay, Toronto

Despite the winter chill, Corus Quay’s new headquarters in Toronto know how to keep employees relaxed and feeling at one with nature. Great and elevated views of Lake Ontario (as well as ground floor openings onto Sugar Beach), organic shapes, slides, and an entire biowall reaching from the ground floor to the top of the atrium are some of the features that stick out most immediately when visiting the campus.

There’s an excitement in the air as well, with 24 television production, 3 radio stations, and over 1,100 employees on the campus. The location was designed by world class architect Jack Diamond of Diamond Schmidt, and equipped by Quadrangle Architects.

4. Pixar Emeryville, California

Pixar’s campus was overseen down to the smallest details by owner Steve Jobs, for which one building has recently been named. Ever obsessed with design, Steve imaged a studio for Pixar with a timeless, elevated, and artistic feel like the Musee D’Orsay, leading to meticulously chosen materials and attention to detail in construction.

As an artistic firm, art and tributes to previous Pixar films litter the campus, particularly in artistic director John Lasseter’s office, in which curated collections of Pixar memorabilia and history are everywhere. The focus on personal inspiration extends to animators, who are allowed to decorate their space as they see fit (leading to a variety of outlandish, inspiring, and downright odd arrangements).

5. Twitter, San Francisco

Instead of the normal new age spaceship of an office plopped down in upscale suburbia, Twitter is taking things in a new direction. Fresh off a US$300 million investment from Prince Walid bin Talal of Saudi Arabia in 2011, Twitter moved into an old 1939 Art Deco building in San Francisco.

Complete with tons of natural light, outdoor space, charm, and perhaps most important authentic (and historic) beauty, Twitter gets what employees really need, a great sense of place. Rooftop garden space, a yoga studio, tasteful twitter-themed art, and tons of common space round out the amenities of this beautiful campus.

6. Epic Systems, Madison, Wisconsin

Epic System’s sprawling “intergalactic headquarters” inhabits the rolling farmland outside of Madison (Verona, Wisconsin), and, though it cost a hefty US$500 million, is one of the quirkiest campuses on the list.

Many buildings look like ski lodges, with plenty of views over the countryside, themed buildings (dungeon and dragons, Indiana Jones, and a host of others), and even a multi-story treehouse in which electronics aren’t allowed. A variety of services such as regular buses from Madison, covered parking (for Wisconsin’s harsh winter), a variety of restaurants, on-site dry cleaning, and a number of teams/clubs/and rallies, make working at Epic fun.

7. Facebook, Palo Alto, California

Facebook’s headquarters lacks the polish present in many other campuses on our list, but it is unique, and definitely where some magic happens. Facebook’s headquarters have been described as not unlike the dorm room the company was originally formed in.

The campus is around 1 million square feet, and built to resemble downtown Palo Alto - a village if you will. Inside of the buildings, there’s ton of open space, walls may be decorated however workers wish, and many walls are decorated by artist David Chou. Chou refused payment for his murals, and instead opted for stock options, his share of which are now worth US$200 million. Free food options (meal plan anyone?) are abundant, and include a coffee shop, a salad place, some of the best burritos in the Bay Area, and a number of cafeterias. Nerdiness is rewarded here, with vending machines filled with computer related batteries and peripherals available free of charge.

8. YouTube, San Bruno, California

Google’s headquarters in San Bruno is for its YouTube team, and is dominated by open spaces in which employees of every level work side by side.

For entertainment, an indoor putting green, Segways, a gym, and a full length lap pool provide tons to do. Natural lighting and “walk stations,” where employees can use a treadmill with a computer attached also add the wellness vibes of the campus. A wall decorated with the most popular YouTube videos of all time, and the BrandLab, a welcoming space where employees, brands and agencies can collaborate on telling their online story.

9. Lego, Denmark

Unlike most children’s brands, who go by the wayside after a brief (even if meteoric) run, Lego has been a mainstay of childhood since 1949. From castles to the Millennium Falcon, pirates to race cars, you better bet that the Lego Danish headquarters housing 180 people is a pretty unique place. The company’s practice of working away from the public, and occasionally checking in with a “listening post” in Los Angeles to check out current trends, is seen through the private compound that is at once tasteful and extremely quirky.

The campus centres around a number of open and light-filled work areas to tinker with your latest Lego creations. Bright and varying colour schemes lend the campus a playful feel (Lego is about promoting creative play, is it not?). Check out the above pictures from the Lego headquarters.

10. AOL Head Quarters, Palo Alto

While AOL has had a hard time the last few years, at least their 2011 headquarters are pretty cool. The new space was designed by Studio O+A, a firm that has helped style up the likes of Yelp!, Facebook, and Paypal, and who has perfected the look that Fastcodesign calls “straddl[ing]the line between real, live professional workplaces and the standard dot-com aesthetic of arrested adolescence.”

As far as the space, lots of light showers communal workspace, there are tons of areas to relax (with lots of gaming opportunities), and there are pods, yes, lots of pods.

Top image: Blue Fin Building, London. Credit: Simon & His Camera/Flickr.

[Source: Business Pundit. Edited. Some links added.]