Given the amount of time we spend at work, it can seem like a second home. So, it’s important the office is comfortable and inspiring. It must be more than four grey walls and endless rows of cubicles. The modern office should be a place of inspiration and creativity as well as production. Luckily for us, the old corporate rule book was thrown out the window somewhere near Silicon Valley. Companies are now investing in the workspace and making it one of the perks of working for them by employing new design concepts and strategies. They’re bringing in top architects to design amazing offices full of color, stress relievers, and comfortable furniture. Here are some of the coolest corporate headquarters in the world—it’s almost certain that working at one of these offices would feel more like a vacation.
Urban Outfitters
Pittsburgh, PA
It’s always interesting when a company attempts to incorporate their brand into their offices, like Red Bull with their curved walls emulating skate ramps. Urban Outfitters is a little more subtle in their approach, but they still nailed it with their headquarters in Pittsburgh. They renovated a rundown building in the old shipyards. Inside, the contrast between the modern tech and the authentic, leftover structure give the space a gritty, rustic-chic look.
Ancestry.com
Lehi, UT
Opening in 2016, the offices capture the company mission of discovering our history and understanding our own personal connections to the past. The main entrance is home to a massive chandelier that looks like a DNA strand and there are photos of current employees and an ancestor scattered throughout the office. They’ve been great at making their age-diverse employees feel like one big family. Tech-savvy youngsters and older archivists work alongside each other seamlessly, eliciting a feeling of comfort and productivity for everyone.
Money.co.uk
Cirencester, UK
Known as The Castle, this renovated army barracks/Victorian castle has a Star Wars-themed cinema and Rolling Stones-inspired toilets. The tech start-up is nestled in the Gloucestershire countryside and the 50 employees were consulted on the design to address their own wants and needs. Aware of the remote location and a strong desire to retain top talent, the company has free food, gaming rooms, and yearly all-expense-paid trips overseas to Florida, New York, and Dubrovnik, just to name a few destinations.
Bahnhof
Stockholm, Sweden
Capable of withstanding a nuclear bomb strike, this underground bunker hosting high-security web servers is a former civil defense center. Internet provider Bahnhof repurposed the James Bond-looking facility in 2008. Buried 90 ft. under central Stockholm, the office has waterfalls, simulated daylight, and a gigantic saltwater fish tank. It’s truly a sight to behold; even just photographs of it will take your breath away.