A Tour of ING’s Tech Office in Warsaw

Michal
Technology
5 years ago

Multinational banking corporation ING recently hired architecture & interior design firm mode:lina to design their new tech office in Warsaw, Poland.

“When designing the division of available space and the space plan of the new ING Tech Poland unit, creating a so-called Positive Vibe to help build a position in the labour market, was as important as the aesthetics and universal functionality of the office. The unit has therefore been arranged so as to provide each team with the necessary work space.

The cream of the crop among common areas that have become favourite places to spend time in, is the so-called Fun Zone – an area with a view over the most vibrant part of the Elektrownia Powiśle complex. Fun Zone is a place where, in addition to having a meal together, you can also combine work and keeping active by using stationary bikes, charge your phone, and make some noise and let off steam while playing table football or Playstation, or even by using a punching bag.

Designers divided the office into smaller areas, each for 10-12 work stations. This arrangement allowed to allocate space for daily teams’ meetings, while maintaining the ability to flexibly change the layout of some zones. Providing an environment of freedom and transparency in the entire office further supports the Agile approach, i.e. a way of working adopted throughout the company.

The main themes come from the movie „Beautiful Mind” with hidden connections shown in a network of colourful “strings” above corridors in the office. It is a combination of brilliant functionality and modern eclectic style.Elements from different eras are skillfully brought together by a coherent use of colours. The modern form of traditional compositions is what characterises the office.

This functional approach allowed us to create an office which supports relationship building and provides space for uninterrupted work. It is conducive to meetings and internal networking which in turn facilitates and generates the integration of different teams.

When working on the functional layout of the office, designers from mode:lina™ were inspired by an idea of creating a work culture based on cooperation between teams, and they also decided to connect two worlds: the atmosphere of a home with the mathematical beauty of the world of financial risk analysts.

The modern form of traditional compositions is what characterises the office. Controversial solutions like baroque frames or terrazzo perfectly complement the interior’s atmosphere.

Furthermore, the new space supports competencies and learning processes, and facilitates the completion of tasks, by providing areas of different character. All solutions have been adapted to the style of work of individual teams.

Keeping in mind the acoustics of glass-walled rooms, soft curtains have been used in many places, which also fits with the homelike aesthetics theme. Additionally, some walls, especially in meeting rooms, have been fitted with soft acoustic foam rollers. As per the employees’ wish, the conference rooms were named after the largest mountain ranges,” says mode:lina