The new headquarters for Sultanate of Oman’s largest bank looks to change the way its employees work, writes Janice Seow.
April 8th, 2011
Leading interior design firm Geyer, in partnership with local architects and designers, has developed a 320,000 square feet headquarters for Bank Muscat that is setting new benchmarks for workplace design in the Middle East.
The intention was to consolidate 8 existing locations into a single facility that would support sustainable growth, promote innovation and collaboration, attract and retain a diverse workforce, and improve efficiencies.
Cultural overtones are evident throughout, with the contemporary design strongly referencing Islamic architectural elements.
Key features and amenities that support people gathering have also been incorporated, extending to the families of employees and the broader community within public areas.
The 4 campus-style buildings are linked by an interactive, glass covered main ’street’. Open to the public, it features, among other things, a Bank Muscat branch, restaurants, and an auditorium.
The arrangement of landscaping creates intimate seating areas and improves pedestrian flow through the street to the multiple lifts accessing the workplace.
There is also visual access between the ’street’ and workplace, enhanced by balconies, sky bridges and mashrabiyas.
Importantly, employees are encouraged to view the entire building as their workplace, not just their desk.
“The physical delineation between the public on the ’street’ and the Bank Muscat work environment has enabled greater opportunity to move freely between work floors and to use the amenity spaces provided in the building without the need to pass through security barriers,” says Geyer in its press statement.
“This change in itself is significant in the impact it makes to building functions and interaction between people.”
Interconnecting stairs and sky bridges also provide additional opportunities for connection throughout the environment.
Reflecting the culturally diverse employee demographic, the major breakouts and local hubs are themed, providing variety and choice for people to collaborate and work away from their desks.
In addition, modular spaces and bench style settings allow the workplace to evolve and respond to change, while the provision of shared, non-dedicated work areas means that significant staff growth can be more easily accommodated over time.
Geyer says its client hopes the building will help to break down business silos, encourage a more transparent, egalitarian workstyle, and support knowledge development and innovation.
Geyer
geyer.com.au
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
The Sub-Zero Wolf showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne provide a creative experience unlike any other. Now showcasing all-new product ranges, the showrooms present a unique perspective on the future of kitchens, homes and lifestyles.
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
Cera Stribely steps out of its residential design remit to debut its first hospitality design – the remarkable redevelopment of Yarra Valley’s St Hubert’s Winery. Annie Reid reports.
Kerstin Thompson Architects’ work at Bundanon recently marked its one-year anniversary. With Thompson having recently been awarded the AIA Gold Medal, it’s a fitting time for a mini-retrospective, continued here in this second part.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Wood Marsh’s 40-year legacy shines through landmark infrastructure projects. Recently completing stunning stations at Coburg and Moreland, their designs blend modernity with community needs.
Boasting unmatched cooking and food preservation capabilities, Sub-Zero and Wolf enable designers to set a new standard for kitchen design, and inspire a higher quality of culinary experience.