Office Snapshots » o + a

Studio o+a Offices, San Francisco

Stephen Searer — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:00:09 +0000

During my visit to San Francisco this last week, I was able to spend some time visiting Studio o+a’s architecture offices. Studio o+a, if you’ve been reading Office Snapshots for a while, were the designers of Facebook’s new offices, Dreamhost’s new space, Yelp’s new office, Square’s office, Box.net, Mtv Networks SF space, Trulia and are currently working on Aol’s unreal space. Primo Orpilla and Verda Alexander, Studio o+a’s principals, were also selected as Contract Magazine’s Designers of the Year.

As far as their space is concerned, I enjoyed working out of one of their intern’s work stations on the first floor. The office has several libraries full of design materials from carpet swatches and wall coverings to tabletop materials. There are three conference spaces with a variety of seat choices.

One of the things that stuck out most was that even though this design team creates amazing spaces for tech companies, they understand that what works for one company doesn’t always translate for all companies. Their office, for instance, does not have the same look and feel as a Facebook, but amazing work is still completed, and their employees sounded like they were all having a great time at work.

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Yelp’s New Office Space

Stephen Searer — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:00:21 +0000

Yelp, one of the internet’s most popular destinations for restaurant ratings, recently moved into an old financial services office which needed some work to be compatible with the vision of the company. For starters, they hired Studio O+A and their sister company Pod Office to make the space inhabitable for the company’s numerous employees. If you remember, Studio O+A was the company responsible for the wonderful new Facebook offices.

Studio O+A worked within Yelp’s overall vision of being a large community where people can freely express themselves. It was also important to keep the space regionally appropriate, meaning a mixture of both Victorian and urban elements. You’ll notice crown molding and vintage tin ceiling tiles as well as almost graffiti-like decals and modern furnishings. Cycling is also important to the employees at this location, so adding a bike storage area was a necessity.

O+A was responsible for working on the common areas, while Pod Office deployed the actual workspaces. Workstations are a combination of Pod Office tables and Knoll spines. Other common area furnishings are provided by local vendors. Conference room decor is by CB2, the modern version of Crate & Barrel.

(click images to enlarge, photos by Jasper Sanidad

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The New Facebook Office

Stephen Searer — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:00:42 +0000

In the past, we’ve posted several times about Facebook’s office space, but nothing quite like today’s post. Facebook recently moved their offices out of several smaller locations spread throughout Palo Alto, CA and into one central, 150,000-square-foot building that used to house Agilent Technologies. Many of the building’s original features either remain or have been repurposed for Facebook’s use.

The space was designed by studio o+a who took time to interview employees to see what they wanted and what would make their work experience better and more productive. Employees collaborated with designers throughout the entire process to ensure the best product possible. Because of the differing departmental needs, small neighborhoods within the building were created giving each department its own unique flavor and vibe.

The company has remained committed to providing free gourmet meals, snacks, and drinks in micro-kitchens located throughout the building. In order to keep the company agile and fresh, employees are encouraged to write on walls, add artwork, and move furniture as they see fit. If I worked there, I’d move my furniture into Mark Zuckerberg’s offices and then challenge him to a game of ping-pong or basketball on the company tables and court.

(click images to enlarge, left/right to navigate)

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IMAGE CREDIT: Photos 1-11 were snapped by Cesar Rubio. Photos 12-17 snapped by Jasper Sanidad. All images used with permission of o + a.

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