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Welcome to the neighbourhood – Airbnb’s ‘urban campus’ expands the firms ‘belong anywhere’ workplace concept
The evolving workplace concepts at Airbnb is on show at the firms International headquarters in Dublin. A 40,000 sq ft head office that houses over 400 employees, the space will support the growing nature of Airbnb’s business that will see the present Dublin office continue to operate.
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The warehouse was a rare opportunity for our team to start from scratch and further evolve the ‘belong anywhere’ workplace philosophy that makes Airbnb unique’
Rebecca Ruggles - Airbnb Environments team
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Heneghan Peng Architects are the creative force between the new campus, titled ‘the warehouse’ which for the first time has provided them opportunity to define the architectural layout of the interior. The property is spread across 3-floors with a light-filled central atrium.
“The warehouse was a rare opportunity for our team to start from scratch and further evolve the ‘belong anywhere’ workplace philosophy that makes Airbnb unique’ commented Rebecca Ruggles from the in-house Airbnb environments team.
The project included for a full renovation of a previously dilapidated warehouse facility. Significant structural elements were introduced. A striking central staircase offers a large communal congregation space at the heart of the workplace. Nicknamed the ‘agora’ the central staircase provides dual function for group or personal working along with community workplace functions.
An agora is an ancient greek term for a central public space and the literal meaning of the word is ‘gathering place’ or ‘assembly’. The agora was historically the centre of the athletic, artistic, spiritual and political life of the city and represents perfectly the focus and prominence it is given in the workplace.
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The central atrium is wrapped by a series of walkways providing balcony viewing points and further enhancing the agora. The central atrium is further surrounded by open work areas, meeting rooms and lounge areas providing both communal working and areas for private focus. The sense of volume and space is further enhanced by the Architects play on proportions and cantilevered volumes of space that bring visual interest to the design.
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Employee visibility is further enhanced with the installation of design ‘neighbourhoods’, 29 of which have been introduced across the office.
The neighbourhoods are defined as working zones where individual desks are replaced by a large communal table supporting up to 14 employees. Personal storage is provided along with several sit-stand desks and a lounge. The neighbourhood concept is a departure from the communal working concept on show at Airbnb’s Paris office
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“The combination of neighbourhoods with the visual and physical connection across the atrium provides just the right balance of privacy and socialisation” continued Rebecca Ruggles of Airbnb.
In keeping with other office locations, the interior design of each meeting space takes its inspiration from present Airbnb listings from around the world. As with the Paris office, the Airbnb environments team engaged with local employees to furnish the meeting rooms which includes authentic décor form a property in Montpellier, France.
The hospitality and dining areas take a similar tone that of the Paris office. The lower ground floor housing the open kitchen where employees dine together. Kitchens are also provided on each level enhancing social areas linked to the agora.
Collaboration, interaction and community linked to local culture is at the heart of the design scheme. The property is a great example of the changing workplace concepts at play within Airbnb reacting to the local team’s ways of working.
Airbnb
Grand Canal Dock
Dublin, Irelandheneghan peng architects
14–16 Lord Edward Street, Floor 2
Dublin, Ireland
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