Inside the World's Most Beautiful Offices of 2018
Ideas Lab Offices | Shanghai
Ideas Lab, a technology research lab, enlisted design firm X+Living to design an office around the theme of the Information Age.
The second floor (left), which also includes a co-working space, is where the R&D team works on commercializing facial recognition and virtual reality applications.
The office took inspiration from factories and utilized parts such as reaction tanks and energy delivery pipes.The pipes also serve a function: they hide wires to maintain a minimalist aesthetic.
IMAGE: DESIGN: X+LIVING; PHOTO: SHAO FENG
Codigo Del Sur | Montevideo, Uruguay
Codigo Del Sur, an Uruguayan mobile app developer, converted a 1920s mansion into an office with steampunk vibes--combining both luxury and sophistication with the futuristic spirit of the company.
Inside the three-story home with 15 rooms you’ll find fine leather Chesterfield sofas, a grand piano, and video art pieces emulating supercomputers from a post-apocalyptic future.
The office comes with a library and multiple collaboration spaces, including kitchens on each floor, an indoor barbecue room, playroom, and a garden outside. There’s also a pool that employees use every Friday in summer and two inner courtyards.
IMAGES: COURTESY CODIGODELSUR
Bumble | Austin, Texas
The social networking and dating app's office isn't shy about taking bold style cues from its bee theme.
The social networking and dating app's office isn't shy about taking bold style cues from its bee theme.
The office is dominated by honeycomb shapes, with thousands of hexagons on the tiles, shelves, and light fixtures. Inspirational messages on the office walls say “Make the First Move” or “Be the CEO Your Parents Always Wanted You to Marry.”
Bumble's staff, which is 85 percent female, enjoys a private room for breastfeeding moms. (The company is a certified “Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite.”) Plus, employees get free haircuts, blowouts, and manicures in the Glam room.
IMAGE: DESIGN: MARK ODOM STUDIO; PHOTO: CASEY DUNN
Hutch | Culver City, Calif.
It's not a surprise that Hutch, an app that lets you virtually design your home, would have a good eye for office design. The goal: to create a space that evokes both creativity and comfort.
The office pays homage to L.A. by decorating each room to reflect a specific part of the city (Culver City, Echo Park, Venice, and Downtown L.A.). Hutch designed its common spaces, such as the kitchen (left) and conference rooms, with its own app to find cozy, lived-in furnishings.
The bathrooms, while small, pack in a lot color and pattern with bold wallpaper prints. Right outside the bathroom, a local artist created a mural of the company's favorite design “filters” in the hallway.
IMAGE: DUSTIN WALKER FOR HUTCH
Instagram | New York
When you enter Instagram's office in the old Wanamaker's department store, you’ll find a "Digital Greeting Wall" that curates a feed content from Instagram’s global community of 800-plus million users. The wall photos are also sourced from Instagram.
A highlight of the office is the juice and gelato bar, inspired by a 1930s Cuban-Miami aesthetic. Over 18 smoothies and juices are made to order, with Instagram-inspired names such as Gingham and X-Pro. Over 20 gelato flavors are available.
Spanning the height of two floors near sprawling windows, the living plant walls offers a natural backdrop for any photo or video.
IMAGE: COURTESY INSTAGRAM
Edrington | New York
Located in the Flatiron district, Edrington, an international spirits company, partnered with design firm Gensler to create a sophisticated space with plenty of antique wooden accents.
Upon entering the space, a private elevator opens to a bar showcasing Edrington’s collection of spirits, which is always fully stocked for company events, meetings, and social gatherings.
The collaborative spaces are designed to reflect the company’s history. The main conference room features a lighting installation composed of the brand’s old barrels procured from Scotland.
IMAGE: DESIGN: GENSLER; PHOTO: CHRIS LEONARD
L’Oreal Offices | Paris
The global French cosmetics company paired with interior design and architecture agency Maison Sarah Lavoine to help design the new office campus nestled in the banks of the Seine.
The space has a warm and welcoming atmosphere, furnished with low tables and chairs in bright blues and baby pinks. Clusters of glass baubles in muted natural tones soften the atmosphere of the office.
The new campus houses some 2,000 staff and contains several patio gardens and a terrace on the 8th floor overlooking Paris and La Defense, the city's business district. There’s also a beauty parlor and digital detox rooms available for employees.
IMAGE: DESIGN: MAISON SARAH LAVOINE; PHOTO: FRANCIS AMIAND
