Airbnb Portland USA Office

Airbnb have recently opened their first ‘customer experience’ (CX) centre in Portland, USA. The first in a number of planned centres around the world, the office is also the new Portland headquarters accommodating more than 200 employees. Designed in-house by the Airbnb Internal Environments team of Aaron Taylor Harvey and Rachael Yu, both trained architects, the concept was developed with extensive research into the working habits and requirements of CX employees, working collaboratively with them to realise their new environment.

Previously working in a fairly generic open free-desk environment, this new CX centre design responds to the employees requirements by creating spaces and rooms to suit an array of working styles. CX Employees are free to move around and make use of all spaces, choosing the environment that suits their immediate needs. Complementing their flexible work practices, the office design provides employees with ‘landing/standing’ spaces for their impromptu team meetings. There are lounges, shared tables, private nooks and a mezzanine space called “the bluff”, which is an elevated work space made from plywood and lined with cushions, where you can survey the office space below.

One design element carried over from other Airbnb offices, is the clever inclusion of areas/rooms that replicate spaces that can be found in Airbnb listings from around the world. More than just creating pleasant work spaces though, the office design allows for choice in selecting your workday experience, as well as how you wish to interact socially with your colleagues. All these ideas come together to provide a flexible environment that can accommodate the employees varying needs, but most importantly creating a functional and enjoyable workplace.

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