The offices of the digital company stairway, in Lille (France), demonstrate, in an unconventional way, that the traditional aesthetic of workspaces are changing. For this firm, one of the most important French companies in infrastructure services in the cloud And Web Hosting, it was essential that its headquarters convey an "atypical" and out of the ordinary image, to attract new talent and differentiate itself in the world of technology.

A privileged location

located in a old palace Of 1.200 m2, classified as architectural heritage of the city, it has many original elements that have been preserved, such as hardwood floors, trim, woodwork, fireplaces, or stone and brick walls. All this was restored with great care, but adding modern touches and even extravagant, that result in each room having a different decoration and spirit.

The project was carried out in 2018 by Tetris, a global design, consultancy and construction company, dedicated to offices, hotels and retail, with projects throughout Europe, for firms such as JLL, Coca Cola, Glovo, Roche, L'Oreal, Pay Pal, etc.

project concept

This old semi-detached house from the XNUMXth century was remodeled breaking the rules of the "classic" offices in order to offer totally innovative and original spaces: a different and random theme per room, for example, the “cloud room”, the “dungeon”, the “duck room” or even the “war room” (on these lines). The collaboration and living spaces are located on the low level, and the quieter work areas, in the upstairs.

a tree of wires

In the access to the palace, a gigantic tree made with CAT6 electronic cables, that represent the technological origin of the company, as a metaphor for its objectives, rooted in the ground but that grow until they extend everywhere.

In each room, the details have been meticulously treated by Amaury Watine, Creative Director, and Daphne Bykhovetz, Project Manager, so that the tour is totally immersive and a sensory experience.

the cloud room

In clear reference to the main activity of the company, the cloud, one of the work rooms is wrapped in a trompe l'oeil almost heavenly made by digital printing covering walls and ceiling. The objective has been to create the perfect place for the workers experience a new kind of well-being in the office and exceed the limits of spaces Reasonable, with deep emotional significance.

the jungle room

After the sky and its clouds, the experience continues in the jungle, full of jungle images. Teams can come to work amidst palm trees, other exotic plants and little monkey figurines, which double as lights. In this room, the ceiling moldings and paneling original, with a very respectful intervention, based on wallpaper and carpet, which can be removed, without affecting the original ornamentation of the building.

The fireplace room

By not having assigned jobs, workers can choose the stay they want, depending on your daily work. In the image, we see another room for meetings or reading, in front of a wonderful fireplace with marble fireplace and ceramics, and brick and stone walls, which were brought out into the open during the reform.

Urban aesthetics

In this other room, with a marked urban aesthetic, with graffiti On the walls, group work and informal meetings take place, but with some privacy, thanks to the sliding glass doors, that isolates the tables.

Meeting Room

Another work rooms, intended for meetings of 6-8 people, with a spectacular ceiling formed by Wood Ribbons, that gives the sensation of being thatched roof. The paneled plinth, as well as the door and the corner over the fireplace, were painted in greenish gray, a classic color that fits with all kinds of outfits. 

the attic

Another relaxed work room, located in the upper part, where the mansion attics. In this space, a agrarian and rural theme, in keeping with the more agricultural area of ​​Lille. Plants, logs and a striking digital print of a grazing cow transport the worker to a familiar space, where they can feel comfortable doing their job.

Dining area and kitchen

Could not miss a space for dining room, with the necessary electrical appliances (refrigerators, ovens, coffee maker…) so that the workers take a break from the workday. In this case, aesthetics is clearly industrial, based on exposed brick, which was combined with dark wood furniture y thonet chairs painted black.

The “duck room” and the “ball room”

Two other spaces that take us to a children's world. On the left, the duck room. Initially it was a bathroom and for this reason Tetris wanted to maintain this spirit by cutting a bathtub in two to make armchairs, placed among thousands of ducks on the wall. On the right, the ball room, where workers can have a good time letting off steam. The company works like a flexible office, no personal job. This allows teams to collaborate more and unleash everyone's creativity by changing the work environment.

The dungeon

Finally, we do not want to fail to mention the dungeon, in the basement of the building, which houses the copier. Here a large existing crack in the wall has been preserved and highlighted as a trace of the past, and a skeleton with its pulley has been placed, as a metaphor for the hard work of a photocopier. A wink of humor more, in these surprising offices, which turn a work space into a emotional and fun environment to attract and retain talent in a highly mobile sector.

Photos: OfficeSnapsShots