Things are different now. The last three years challenged us to live, think and work in new ways. And it was hard at first, but we did what we humans do. We responded by adapting, growing and reimagining everything from how we see our families to how we vote.
The way we work arguably underwent one of the biggest transformations. And, as designers, we couldn’t help but ask ourselves: how might we rethink the workplace experience?
Like many others, we chose not to renew the lease for an office we had rented for eight years. Like many others, we supported our employees to work from home.
But, here’s where we diverged. When we moved out of our rented office, we moved into a new building that we bought for ourselves in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood. In addition to a traditional office, we now have a private space onsite for overnight guests to stay (like our growing network of colleagues and clients based across the country).
Our decision took into account different ways of working today–some of us want to work from home, some in the office and others want a blend of both. It also considered what the future might look like.
We thought about our many team members and clients local to San Francisco who might want a meeting place and whiteboard to collaborate in person. We thought about our far flung colleagues living as far as Panama and where they might stay when they come to visit. We’re even listing our office on Peerspace so other teams can make use of it.
We imagined a future in which the DesignMap home base serves as a cultural anchor and a new touchstone in our history–one that both connects and frees us.
When we consult with clients, we tell them to imagine a future beyond tomorrow. We’re happy to have done just that with our new office space.
So, we hope you will come by for a coffee, brainstorm or break from your own workspace—whatever and wherever that may be! Get in touch if you want to drop in or hear more about how we made it all happen.