Airbnb
Amplify work culture
Airbnb — Surry Hills, NSW
Airbnb engaged us with a brief to create a new workplace that not only enhanced their workplace culture, but utilised design as a tool to capture the companies values: creativity, travel, and thoughtful design. At the core of Airbnb is the connection between people and spaces and the new workplace inspires employees to move around the space to work and experience it just like you might one of their listings.
The brief from the Airbnb team was to ensure the new workplace allowed their existing strong culture to thrive and develop. It was obvious that the team enjoyed socialising and collaborating and this new environment needed to support this. Several staff requested an area to kick a ball around and this became a key feature at the entry/arrival area. When we were asked to provide a secured arrival area this initially seemed restrictive but with further discussions with the Airbnb San Francisco in-house designers we developed this into a dynamic design feature that surprises visitors on arrival. Lift doors open up onto a stretch of suitably marked astroturf with a quirky take on an AFL oval with goal posts and subtly branded goal post protection pads. When the doors are propped open this becomes the perfect strip to kick!
Very rarely does such a great design brief come along and when we were asked to theme meeting rooms based on Airbnb Listings, we jumped up and down with joy! The local Airbnb team selected particular listings from around the world and this long list was culled down to three. These included a Kangaroo Valley lounge / dining room, a Havana dining room and a Swedish (Betso) sitting room. Once the respective hosts had provided permission we identified the key materials and elements that would help recreate these rooms and bring them to life.
Generally the interior is filled with fun, informal elements from the quirky Listing Rooms through to the accessorising and styling of bathroom and open spaces. The overall tone of the workplace is informal and inviting; all characteristics of amazing work homes.
Credits: All photos by James Horan, Airbnb
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