HPP Architects hand over the "workplace of the future" to Microsoft. The interior design and the working environments of the new Microsoft Headquarters Germany were developed and realized by HPP.
In order to provide the best working conditions for its employees, the company started the search for a new location in 2012. Along with property agents Colliers, HPP Architects were invited to take part in the selection process, and together they recommended the project development of Argenta in Munich. During the negotiations of the lease, HPP actively supported Microsoft and made sure their goals were achieved during the planning phase. HPP were also commissioned with the planning of the working environments and the interior design of the space.
The project development comprises an administrative building, completed in 2016, of which, Microsoft currently uses around 90 percent - the long-term goal is to rent the entire space. 1,200 work stations are arranged over up to six floors. The desk sharing concept means that these work stations can be used by approximately 1,900 employees.
"As requested by Microsoft, we put flexibility into practice as a design principle. The result is a workplace of the future, which provides for individual organization of the working day and takes the needs and requirements of the employees into account." explained Reiner Schulz, Project Leader at HPP Architects.
The office world is divided into four areas: accomplish, share & discuss, converse and think. For those employees who wish to dedicate themselves to their own tasks in the classical manner, the accomplish area, furnished with desks offers the appropriate working environment. If someone is looking for creative exchange with his or her colleagues, they can use the dynamic share & discuss working environment. In the converse area employees are offered space for collaborative work and a variety of working possibilities, which can facilitate projects requiring intensive coordination. Retreats for highly concentrated working are provided by the think area with its cubes and lounges.
In addition to the working areas, numerous spaces for formal and informal meetings are arranged within the office floors. A total of 70 conference rooms of various sizes and 136 focus rooms, each accommodating four employees, permit different ways of working. In addition, around 100 phone rooms are available for making undisturbed calls.
The various furnishing concepts mean that there are no designated work spaces in the building, rather, there are so-called anchor areas for the respective departments. A number of hubs in the form of kitchenettes with food and drink preparation areas and varied seating arrangements are located on all floors for informal discussions and short breaks.
The Executive Briefing Center and Microsoft Technology Center areas are located on the fourth floor. The core of both departments is the centrally located lounge with the Envisioning Center; an elliptical auditorium with 25 seats and the latest media technology.
Inside the central four-story entrance hall, the Digital Eatery cafeteria provides a mix of café and showroom, not only for company employees but also for guests and visitors. For those looking for more than just a snack, the 400 seat canteen is easily reached. The serving areas are designed like a market place, which explains why the three counters with their colored accents are arranged informally between the seating areas. Also on the ground floor are conference rooms with the latest media technology, a large hall with room for 150 people and four multi-purpose rooms that can accommodate around 700 people - all for hire.
Microsoft have developed the new slogan “#Worklifeflow instead of work-life balance” to describe the new way of working at its German headquarters. HPP took this guiding principle into account whilst developing the "workplace of the future", which, through the dissolution of spatial boundaries gives employees the freedom to choose how they wish to work and, at the same time, promotes team spirit and individual talent.
