Airbnb Singapore enlists staff to help design office

Source: Airbnb. Snapshots of the Airbnb Singapore office. Belo 6 is at the bottom left. 

Airbnb Singapore has recently unveiled a new office, designed to make the most of startup culture with creative design. The three-storey space features Singaporean touches as well as rooms which mirror real-life Airbnb accommodations around the globe, making work days at the new Airbnb office akin to globe-trotting.

Source: Airbnb. Persaud.

Asia-Pacific Regional Director, Julian Persaud, said, "Design is deeply embedded in Airbnb’s culture. Two of our co-founders are designers, and an appreciation of the power of design is in everything we do. This is reflected in the unique layout of all Airbnb’s global offices. At Airbnb Singapore, what started in a traditional shophouse has grown dynamically since into a HQ for what is now our fastest growing region.

"Airbnb has never been a traditional workplace; we aim to recreate an environment in line with the company ethos - where anyone can belong anywhere - whilst using the space to encourage collaboration."

Local architecture practice, FARM, was commissioned to design the space, based both on their creative ideas, as well as their long-term engagement with the Singapore design community. The office leverages Singapore building typologies and materials. The space is open-plan, similar to a contemporary kopitiam (local cafe). Shared spaces includes a cafe-style setting, with benches and beanbags for breakout meetings. 

Other examples include the 'front porch', where the reception is, 'kopitiam chairs' in the cafeteria, as well as the 'skyscraper', consisting of traditional ventilation blocks seen in Singapore local housing encapsulating the stairs. Items were sourced from local neighbourhood shops or designers, such as Supermama. There is even a 'Dragon Rocking Horse', designed by Hinika, drawing inspiration from an iconic dragon-shaped focal point in a local playground.

All office meeting rooms are inspired by actual homes on Airbnb to showcase the vast diversity of destinations on offer through the community-driven platform. As part of the Employee Design Experience programme, Airbnb staff not only got to select the Airbnb listings featured for the rooms, but were also actively involved in re-creating the room to the exact likeness. "In the process of bringing these spaces to life, they are encouraged to go to local markets to source materials, work with artists, and be creative. Not only does this give the employees a creative outlet within the office, but we find that it helps them become a lot more connected to not only the space they’ve selected and designed, but the company as a whole," shared Persaud.

Some of the employee-designed spaces include an apartment in Batignolles, Paris, France; Andy Warhol-inspired art loft in Bangkok, Thailand, a caravan in Cornwall in the UK, a villa in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia amongst others.

One of the most creatively designed spaces, named Belo 6, looks like a mission control centre on a spaceship. "Belo 6 is actually a product of a team’s tenacity and creativity! They were essentially given a closet in a back corner of the office. A forgotten space without a designated use. The group of six guys came up with the idea of creating the first Airbnb listing on the moon -­ a new space station," Persaud said. "Belo is the name of the symbol which is the Airbnb logo – which represents the universal symbol of belonging. It stands for: people + places + love = Airbnb. It's become the ultimate clubhouse now where employees play video games and watch movies."

To replicate The Boat Shed in Byron Bay, Australia, a remodelled bathtub acts as a meeting table. The Auckland meeting room brings the outdoors, indoors. This room has fairy lights shimmering like stars above a BBQ pit and a fireplace with artificial greenery. 

"At Airbnb we want to create the sense of travel when we welcome people into our office. Simply having photos of unique accommodation and far off places is not enough, we want our employees and guests to experience the feeling you get when you travel," said Persaud, who added that the Airbnb staff in the US and Sydney, Australia were also able to participate in the Employee Design Experience programme.