Contract - August 2012 - (Page 120)

the “ocean” room, featuring a built-in aquarium and aqueous finishes, is one of 23 themed meeting rooms in Microsoft’s Viennese headquarters. In Vienna, one need only observe patrons meeting over kaffee under the arches of historic buildings to know that Austrians have a knack for turning something as mundane as coffee culture into an art. And, at least when it comes to Microsoft’s new Austrian headquarters, the same could be said of Viennese work life. To transform a bland corporate office into a design-centric showcase for collaborative work culture, the tech corporation held a design competition and ultimately selected up-and-coming firm INNOCAD of Graz, Austria. enlivening interiors of a mundane building “We wanted to introduce innovation to the very conservative business world of Austria,” says Paul Zawilensky, real estate and facilities project manager for Microsoft in Vienna. “We wanted to bring in different designs, from extremely modern to relaxed, with an international flair.” The overall goal of the 48,450-square-foot project was to represent the future of work—thereby underscoring Microsoft’s role as enabler of this global vision through its software and services. The melding of different aesthetics is sprinkled throughout Microsoft’s three floors within a nondescript office building in a suburb of Vienna. Upon entering, visitors are engulfed by a blue-tinged mural depicting the innards of a computer—an x-ray photo by a Graz street artist. In front of this kinetic backdrop, a sculptural, minimalist white console forms the reception desk. Manmade invention doesn’t completely overrun nature here: Just off of reception, a lush living wall rises 12 feet and spans a length of 50 feet (and three additional living walls are positioned by each of the office’s cafes). In the visitors’ lounge, carpeted in retro gray shag, one can check email on a Globus Scriptorium spherical chair. A meeting might take place in the “Zen” room, which is outfitted with a tranquil rock garden, a low wooden table, and Japanese cushions. To get to the floor below, one could take a shortcut down an adult-sized slide. This is INNOCAD’s vision of the 21st century office—Austrian style. 120 contractdesign.com july | august 2012 photography: Christian Dusek international http://www.contractdesign.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - August 2012

Contract - August 2012
Editorial
Industry News
Product Focus: One Size Fits All
Product Focus: By the Hand of the Painter
Product Focus: The Future Is Bright
Product Briefs: Team Players
best of NeoCon®
Sanofi Headquarters
Microsoft Vienna
Gensler Bangkok
St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort
International Design and Practice: Lessons from an Expert Abroa
Competition: Inspirations Awards
Practice: Gensler Exchange
Designers Select: Fabric
Sources
Ad Index
Exhibition: KarlssonWilker Exposes the Many Facets of Wolf-Gordon

Contract - August 2012