The Dream Office — a Place to Work, Rest and Play

A new launch pad for a rocketing company

MSD IT (which is a global servicing company cooperating with all divisions of MSD) is a successful network organisation. People are closely connected not only in Prague, but also between like-hubs abroad, and these connections are continuously improved. The hubs nurture star performers in IT who gain a unique combination of know-how and experience. The expertise of their people and all-pervasive spirit of innovation has resulted in exponential growth and quickly made MSD IT an employer of choice. Creative people care about their work environment. For a company like MSD the quality of workplace they can offer is an important tool for attracting and retaining the best staff.

How do you keep pace with the rapid development of your company whilst ensuring hard working employees remain efficient and highly motivated?

Among other things you have to continuously improve their workplace to stay technologically advanced. Your employees need an inspiring workplace that supports team work and allows them to focus, interact and relax at will.

You simply need a high-performance workplace where employees feel at home.

Office layout or urban planning?

Office Five is located in the Smichov neighbourhood right next to the original Riverview hub. It offers a generous space totalling 11,000 square metres with a projected occupancy of 831 people. To compare it to a small city would be an exaggeration, but the overall area is not the only thing that gives the project an urban feel.

11,000sqm

total floor area

831

employees

15sqm

for each of the employee

Each of the building´s floors offers a set of modular arrangements, which support cooperation and easy communication between each team, including a central meeting point – a square.

A dominant and unusual feature is the internal staircase that travels through the centre of the office interiors – a bespoke element added to the building by MSD IT.

Office Five also provides for rest places and informal meetings.

The building interior contains creative rooms and re-focus areas, where people can play table-soccer, darts, or simply enjoy a cup of coffee

If you prefer meeting your mates in a cafeteria, there is central one

Many bespoke architectural elements have been introduced that reflect the visual identity of the MSD brand

In an open-plan office quiet zones are a must, and there are many ways to make them comfortable and original

The office design includes a clever information system inspired by a wayfinding system used at stations

Innovation built around teamwork

Communication and cooperation was one of the main themes for the MSD IT workplace. To help promote this, yuar architects designed the innovative „spacedividers“, a magnetic writeable partition including acoustic panels that can easily be moved to adapt to the current needs of the teams. It was one of the utmost concerns of main architect Lukáš Janáč to come up with a solution that offers functionality, comfort and mobility. Other bespoke items included the We Inspire Wall, reception desk, plant pots, kitchens, acoustic wall panels and bamboo partitions.

Most of the interior furnishings are bespoke. The workstations also have a non-standard worksurface shape, which means employees sit slightly turned towards each other.

Lukáš Janáč

main architect

With a waste range of products already on the market none of them could offer all amenities like acoustic elements, writeable magnetic part, leg-free as well as respond to our design vision. Together with TECHO we were able to provide custom made modular elements that best suited the space and philosophy of the office.

The space structure can be changed according to the current need of the team – simply moving the dividers between the desks.

The future of communication, today!

The extensive use of modern AV technologies is one of the defining characteristics of Office Five, and the whole place is literally loaded with modern AV and communication technology.

High-quality videoconferencing equipment across the company allows easier cooperation and communication, especially for global teams. Videoconferencing also offers employees a broad scope of options for making the right work-life balance. For example, by taking advantage of homeworking whilst preserving the sense of cohesiveness and belonging to the work team.

Multimedia content can be published centrally and displayed on large-screen TVs throughout the building.

Futuristic technologies

A few years ago the technologies found in Office Five would have been considered sci-fi. Now they are part of everyday life at MSD IT. For example, Digital Media Signage technology supports information flow across the organisation. It allows for multimedia content to be published centrally and displayed on large-screen TVs throughout the building. The intelligent placement of the screens ensures that all messages reach their intended recipients.

A walk-through before moving in

YUAR architects, who signed responsible for the interior layout, also used modern technologies. In addition, teams of people who will spend their working days in the offices were also engaged from the initial design phase.

Two groups were created for the initial project presentations. The first group received a standard project presentation first, and then a virtual reality demonstration of the proposed interior. The second group had the VR presentation first. It was clear that this second group gained a better grasp of the planned concept and were able to provide effective feedback.

Ergonomics matters

We paid great attention not only to the technical components that support team collaboration, but also to many other, less visible, but no less important aspects of office design.

1

The light

The lightning was designed to provide maximum clarity with minimum glare. Sensors adjust brightness and colour according to the outside conditions. Employees can, however, control the intensity individually.

2

The air

The air-conditioning and heating have been set to constant levels to ensure that employees feel comfortable, whatever the weather outside. These levels have been agreed based on the three years of operation of the Riverview building.

3

The sound

We have paid special attention to high quality sound insulation in order to meet the employees’ needs for focused work. Throughout the building, its occupants can enjoy a high level of acoustic comfort.

Lessons learned

Ing. Šimon Opekar

Sales Manager Techo

An important factor for the success of this project was cooperation with Ahrend. This helped to secure the contract, and much of the furniture supplied was from Ahrend, which suited the architectural concept perfectly.

Ing. Jana Dušátková

Facility Manager MSD

It is impossible to name all the elements and components that comprise the Office Five space, but it is clear that MSD has, with the help of the architects and TECHO, built one of the most modern workplaces in the Czech Republic.