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Have you ever imagined what it was like to work at Facebook? Imagine no more... Photo: Studio O+A
Previously, employees of the company were scattered in and around downtown Palo Alto in more than 10 locations. The new facility, previously a lab for Agilent Technologies, is 150,000 square feet of space that's been transformed by Studio O+A into an interactive, open and playful space fit for the top social networking company.
Let's live vicariously through those lucky Facebook employees and check out their new space.
Facebooks Designer Look
BY: JAIME DERRINGER
As you walk in the door, you're greeted by tall ceilings and a fun, modern space calling to you from behind large glass doors. The designers at Studio O+A relied heavily on the opinions of Facebook employees when creating their design. The Facebook platform was used to conduct company-wide polls about design decisions, post construction gallery and updates, and to keep everyone informed of the thought process behind the project.
Just about every department of the 700-employee company was involved in one way or another in the design process. Because the new facility houses employees coming from various locations, the company wanted to maintain each section's distinct identity. The architects used color and interior spacing to create neighborhoods within the open plan space.
Employees can enjoy an open atmosphere and lounge areas, where offline social interaction is encouraged.
The company's executives sit in central areas, accessible to all employees.
Reflecting the employees' desire for a green headquarters, the facility is the first commercial project completed under Palo Alto's 2008 Green Building Ordinance, making extensive use of existing architectural features (like exposed ductwork), recycling millwork from the original lab and repurposing industrial components for post-industrial use. Other sustainable features include high recycled-content carpet and energy-efficient lighting.
Facebook provides meals to staff at all hours, so their kitchen and café were an important element in the design. A bright orange industrial crane that was left over from the building's previous user was repurposed by San Francisco sculptor Oliver DiCicco to support a table surface.
A private meeting area makes use of stripes and colors.
And, if that wasn't drool-worthy enough for you, an outdoor basketball court and indoor ping-pong table offer some fun after-work (or during work) recreation. Wait, is that a DJ table? Oh boy, I need to update my resume...
Reader comments (Page 3 of 3)
Facebook is just another big waste of your time and another step toward total submission to the stealth dictatorship of America Inc..
ReplyIf you spent one minute trying to find out how Facebook makes money and how Facebook will be bad for you, you would realize what a narcissistic dope you were to register in the first place and you would cancel your account (which you can't really , coz once you are in the scum won't let you go ) .
Nothing compared to wealthy folks having several six-figure ROCKS! built for their back yards, and glotting about it, when there are other people struggling to find a piece of the rock -- get my drift?
ReplyFacebook and other companies (Internet or other) have really stepped up their images by decorating, or should I say re-decorating
Replyit's headquarters and various offices. I noticed in the article that they
are located somewhere in CA, and I'm located somewhere in MA, which is very far away from CA.. How wonderful would it be if Facebook had beautiful office buildings near Boston? Well wonderful
for me anyway!
Facebook rules
ReplyIt looks like an Ikea daycare. I don't think I'd like working in a romper room. What are they going to do when their workforce ages a few years?
ReplyWhere's the cool professionalism? That would've been way more appropriate. This design, I was looking for the stack of blocks in the corner and the fingerpaints. Boo.