How to encourage employees to return to the office after a period of remote work? How to create for them a space close to a home office setting? How to take care of the ergonomics of work, and yet arrange a place where they feel at ease? Almost like at home? The OLX Group has created such a place for their employees. Meanwhile, the office project was completed by The Design Group studio.
The OLX Group is based in the Marathon office building in Poznań. Previously, it already occupied the 4th and 5th floors of the building, but due to its continued growth, it decided to lease more spaces. Thus, in the middle of 2021, the investment project was launched to adapt floors 2 and 3 to the company’s needs, too. It was a specific time after the peak of the pandemic. The Client was aware that it needed to create a space for employees where they would feel as comfortable as at home during a home office. So that they would be eager to return there. That’s why the office merges ergonomics with home coziness, and modern solutions, such as electric desks and specialized lighting, co-exist here alongside comfortable sofas and soft carpets.
Structure Your Time
Most of the OLX Group office space is open space. The following departments are separated from each other by furniture buildings, with greenery incorporated into them. However, the office is adapted so that everyone can adjust their place and workstation depending on their current task. There are 25 sound-adapted rooms of all sizes, designed for meetings in both smaller and larger teams. What’s more, four 8-person rooms can be combined into one large one. Meanwhile, eight built-in phone booth rooms have been prepared for individual quiet work. The chief room that stands out is the one popularly known as the “aquarium.” It is a space glazed on three sides for quiet, ad hoc work, either alone or in a larger team. The architects arranged seating here at higher and lower tables, accompanied by armchairs and upholstered chairs. There were also soft, large sofas that bring a homey vibe.
What clearly stresses the modern approach to work in this office, as well as the company’s concern for the comfort and safety of its employees, is the fact that nearly 40% of the desks in the area are so-called hot desks. This flexible solution allows office users to work at any place and time they choose. A special application facilitates the reservation of desks. Within the open space, the architects have placed lockers for storing personal belongings or documents, which is related to the office-wide “clean desk policy.”
The “design thinking” or creative room also draws attention. It is a multifunctional space designed in line with agile philosophy for collaborative work. While brainstorming, employees can write down their ideas with a marker on a table with the top finished with a writing surface. They can transfer the most important ideas to a huge whiteboard that takes up the entire surface of one of the walls. Thanks to these solutions, employees can be sure that no important thought slips away while talking, and everyone interested has access to the content. What’s more, all the furniture in this room, i.e. tables, office chairs, upholstered chairs, or soft poufs, is movable, so teams can freely rearrange the space within here according to their needs.
The Strength as One
The OLX Group office is not just a work space. It is also a place that effectively supports the integration of employees. This is certainly what the kitchen serves. Although it could be more accurately described as a social, integration and all-hands space. A pure kitchen area was organized in its two extreme corners. In one is a coffee point, and in the other is a food prep area. A large table set there helps employees socialize over a meal together and allows them to feel like they are having a family meal. The centerpiece, meanwhile, is an area with a ping-pong table and foosball table. But the kitchen space is also a place to hold larger meetings. There are stands, behind which is a striking green wall, sofas, armchairs and a large screen; the perfect place for communal leisure activities like watching movies or matches.
Employees can also use the company’s cozy gym. The architects decided to use large mirrors there so that they optically enlarge the space a bit, as well as allow the exercising person to control their posture and movements while exercising. A gym is a great idea for keeping employees in good physical and mental shape. A similar idea inspired the organization of the wellness area. There is a place prepared for manicure and massages in there. The architects ensured the coziness of the space and used a lot of wood and plants in its arrangement.
“The office offers a whole spectrum of rooms: from those designed for quiet work, to rooms for small group meetings, a “design thinking” room where they can do brainstorming, to a large kitchen with a meeting area. The whole experience benefits collaboration, integration and stresses the OLX Group’s commitment to getting its employees together and supporting each other,” says Architect Konrad Krusiewicz, CEO of The Design Group.
Just Like at Home
Integration and building a good working atmosphere are also fostered by the home office vibe introduced by TDG architects. The design featured a lot of soft seating, where you can sit comfortably and work as if you were at home. This ambiance is stressed by numerous wooden design elements, soft carpets on the floor and thick curtains. A lot of pastel colors and plants also pop up there.
The Client was interested in relating the new design of floors 2 and 3 to the pre-existing OLX office space on floors 4 and 5. Together with the architects, they decided that the connecting element between the existing and new space would be the walkways, with blue being the dominant color.
200 Tons of Baffles – Acoustics & Ecology
The title 200 tons is the weight of the laminated baffles suspended from the office ceilings. On the one hand, their arrangement perfectly energized the arrangement of the ceilings, and lent the whole thing the warmth inherent in wood. On the other hand, it provided the space with adequate soundproofing. The latter is one of the hallmarks of The Design Group’s designs. In an office that was meant to create a home-like feel, proper soundproofing became a priority.
“We introduced many solutions to support the acoustics of the space. We placed acoustic islands above the desks in the open spaces, while the lounges feature original wall acoustic panels on the walls in both circular and more organic forms. In the booths, by contrast, modular closed ceilings have been designed. We also made sure that the acoustic parameters of the doors and glazing are high,” explains Marta Konarska, an architect from The Design Group who led the interior design of the OLX office.
The architects did not forget about the eco-friendliness and economy of the project, either. They decided not to tamper with the geometry of the existing walls on floors 2 and 3, which mostly allowed them to keep the existing utilities. Nevertheless, they replaced quite a few solid walls with glazing. As a result, spaces in the office, previously devoid of daylight, have been lit with it.
“The Investor really liked the idea of providing light to different parts of the office. Thanks to it, we got rid of the effect of long, dark corridors. This allowed us to introduce natural daylight into the space, which positively influenced the well-being of the employees,” adds Natalia Sztandor, an architect from The Design Group who led the interior design of the OLX office.
The architects used only certified materials in the layout. They also opted for natural wood, used for all tables and wall coverings. You will find Italian terrazzo countertops and lots of ceramic tiles there.
The OLX Group office is a place fit for this era. It combines a multipurpose space with a homey flair. It caters to the individual needs of employees while building a community. It is open and already ready for the company’s ever-growing team.
