Microsoft Offices

Main article: Microsoft

2017

Treehouse Office

In November 2017, Microsoft created a tree office for its employees. Famous architect Pete Nelson, who runs the Treehouse Masters program on Animal Planet, was responsible for the project. 

Instead of an office on the territory of the Microsoft corporate town in Redmond (state Washington), houses USA were built around massive Christmas trees. Microsoft employees were housed in two wooden huts, which were connected to each other by an open terrace about four meters above the ground.

Microsoft office in wooden houses

The houses themselves were built from cedar, which was processed using ancient Japanese technology. The trees were burned in a special way and then soaked in linseed oil. The service life of such structures is declared in 20 years.

The unusual office has comfortable workplaces, waterproof furniture, electricity, a cafeteria and wireless internet. Chairs, a street fireplace and a canopy protecting from the sun and rain are placed on the ground. In clear weather, the company logo appears on the canopy.

Microsoft employee works in a new natural-style office

The company's management believes that the office in the fresh air, the smell of natural wood and the non-standard placement of the office allow people to work more productively, get less tired and be creative in solving problems.

Microsoft stressed that this experimental project was created at the request of employees who gravitate to work in nature. If it turns out to be successful, then tree offices will probably appear  in other cities with large Microsoft offices.

By November 2017, the company created two buildings in a "natural" format, another indoor room for conferences and meetings will be completed before the end of the year. 

Headquarters update

On November 29, 2017, Microsoft announced an update to its headquarters. The Redmond campus will have new buildings, upgraded workspaces and increased headcount.

By the end of November 2017, Microsoft's corporate town covers 500 acres. In 5-7 years, it is planned to build 18 new buildings, repair 622 thousand square meters of office space and invest $150 million in improving transport infrastructure, public places, cricket and golf courses, parks on and near the campus. Retail and sports facilities will be available not only to Microsoft staff, but also to residents of the city.

Microsoft Redmond Campus Renewal Plan

It is assumed that after the completion of the project, the Microsoft campus will have 131 buildings, which in its area will correspond to 180 football fields. Modern jobs will receive 47 thousand employees working in the head office every day. In addition, the corporation will increase the staff in the town by 8 thousand jobs, wrote Microsoft President Brad Smith in the official blog of the software giant.

We focused on the cultural transformation of the company. We want to create a workplace that supports the culture we promote. Jobs encourage people to be creative, work with each other and learn from each other, "he said.

According to Bloomberg, the Microsoft campus update suggests that the buildings will be closer to each other, and the parking will become underground. In general, the project is designed with a focus on pedestrians and the use of a light rail that will run around the town. To implement the modernization plan, the company will use 2,500 additional workstations^[1]

2015: Billions of dollars spent updating headquarters

In early September 2015, it became known about the large costs Microsoft of updating its headquarters in the city of Redmond (state Washington,). USA The American company decided to change offices in such a way as to attract more young specialists and establish close work of employees among themselves, reports Bloomberg news agency.

We are talking about the rejection of individual offices in favor of open-plan work areas. In such offices, the workspace is divided by medium-height partitions, which are often part of tables and create the illusion of a separate office.

One of the buildings on the site of Microsoft headquarters in Redmond

Some Microsoft departments, including the developer division, have already been switched to this format of employee accommodation. The company wants to use it everywhere at headquarters.

are constantly working on plans related to the Microsoft campus in order to try to anticipate future needs," the corporation said.

In addition to redeveloping the Redmond headquarters offices, there are plans to build new and remodel the erected buildings, which could see restaurants, shops, accommodation for trainees and travel staff and even a public exhibition of artists on the complex.

According to the publication, Microsoft can spend several billion dollars to modernize the headquarters, which consists of 80 buildings located on an area of ​ ​ more than 200 hectares. Although the company has not yet fully decided on such work, it has already hired the architectural bureau Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, known for designing the tallest building in the world - the Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai. This firm helped Microsoft with the reconstruction of a small campus in Mountain View (California, USA).

The territory of the Microsoft complex in Redmond is divided by the State Route 520 expressway. The company agreed to organize new pedestrian and bicycle paths there. In addition, plans to build a light rail line from Seattle to Microsoft headquarters were previously reported. Construction work is scheduled for 2016-2023.^[2]

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