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The Top 5 Offices in the World

Posted 16th July 2010 by Ben     Email article      Share article

Recently we’ve been doing a few things to our offices. As the company has been growing so much over the past few months, new desks and computers have been setup and our kitchen (with compulsory coffee maker) has been modernized.

All of this activity got me thinking about other workplaces around the world and how different a workplace can be, depending on where the company is based, what they do and how many employees are working for them. Being a designer, I know how important it is to have an inspiring environment and to be surrounded by creative, forward-thinking individuals.

I’ve compiled a list of the best workplaces in the world. I’ve judged them on everything from color scheme and interior decoration to location and architectural design.

Pixar

Pixar Studios is based in a huge campus in California. The bright sparks behind “Toy Story”, “Finding Nemo” and “Up” have one of the best workplaces in the world. The ambient lighting and creative, interior decoration can offer employees a quiet room to concentrate on their work when they need to. There are also plenty of rooms to relax in and enjoy a break between intense work sessions. Take a look for yourself:

Nike

It’s modern in parts but futuristic beyond belief in others. The Nike Office in London is one seriously cool place to work. TV’s everywhere, branded sports equipment neatly housed on shelves on every wall. See for yourself:

Red Bull

Created by Jump-Studios, the Red Bull HQ in London has 3 floors packed full of surprises. A meeting room table doubles as a ping pong table. A stair case “floats”. A long wavy slide leads employees down a floor to another office. Employees can visit the very modern bar and cafe or relax in a comfy lounge area. If you’re visiting, remember to have a few red bulls before you go!

Google

Google’s office in Zurich is an “inspiring and fun” place to work according to employees. It boasts a slide, a “chill out” aquarium, a games room, a library and plenty of free food! Fireman poles allow employees to slide down a level if they need to and a giant slide leads to the cafeteria to ensure a large number of the 300 engineers will reach the restaurant in good time.

There is a rule in Google that no employee should be 100 meters away from food. The huge restaurant provides employees with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Whiteboards are everywhere, allowing ideas to be written down wherever they are thought up. Engineers work in small teams of three or four, with small offices, each of which comes with requisite ‘bean bag’ meeting room.

Media Lightbox

Based in the center of Northern Ireland’s largest city, the Media Lightbox offices are a dream to work in. With so many places to eat and visit during break times, it’s unlikely that an employee could pick something to eat from somewhere different, everyday of the year. There are literally hundreds of places to choose from when it comes to eating out. Being beside Queen’s University and Botanic Gardens, the team frequently escape the office for an outdoor meeting and to discuss new ideas.

The actual office itself has green feature walls and huge whiteboards for jotting down ideas. Two state of the art kitchens mean employees can get their dose of caffeine on a regular basis. The thing that makes the Media Lightbox office so special isn’t the decoration or even the architecture. It’s the people that work there, who are extremely motivated and bursting with enthusiasm and passion. In a company with a global market, these qualities have been crucial in Media Lightbox’s success.

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