Airbnb Seattle Regional Office / Bora Architects + Airbnb Environments
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Text description provided by the architects. Following successful collaborative projects in Portland and San Francisco, Bora and the Airbnb Environments team came together to design a new regional office in Seattle. Conveniently located in the heart of downtown, the 40,000 square foot space occupies two floors of a 1970s office building. Our challenge was to reflect Airbnb’s unique culture while harmonizing the existing aesthetic with the modern business needs of a global high-tech company.
Embracing the building’s history, we peeled back layers of past renovations to reveal the original interior brick cladding and reinstituted a blackened steel version of the balustrade originally planted around the central atrium. We’ve also removed drop ceilings to improve openness and flexibility and create a more visually connected work environment.
Circulation and group activities are located near the double-height atrium, filled with a custom art installation, further activating this central space and allowing employees to view and engage the surrounding co-working spaces. Towards the perimeter of the office floor, spaces become progressively more private to accommodate the full range of workplace activities.
Our design uses fir plywood and live plants as the main design materials throughout the office, softening harsh edges and bringing a bit of the outdoors inside. To create surprise and wonder, we’ve placed greenery in unexpected places, including rooftops, tabletops, and even inside offices. Additionally, the meeting rooms – each a unique location inspired by actual Airbnb listings in London, Cape Town, Belarus and Nairobi – rely on custom-made elements to create a sense of discovery consistent with the Airbnb brand. Bora and the environments team worked with a host of local artisans to create memorable moments bound together by an understated and natural overarching palette that is deeply rooted in and inspired by Seattle culture.
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