Gone are the days of stuffy cubicles and popcorn ceilings. After all, who gets inspired in a space like that?
Instead, many companies today are designing their office spaces to mirror the energy and culture of the team inside it. From office swings to cozy communal spaces to kitchens that look like they’re torn from a page of a magazine, NYC tech knows how to impress.
We took a tour through four local office spaces, each with its own unique flair, to see what their teams love about where they work.
Don’t like being tethered to your desk? Neither does the team at Riskified. The company’s office features an open workspace without assigned desks, encouraging free-flowing collaboration and team bonding. Director of Integrations Arun Paul Gopal explained how the office reflects the company’s unique culture and provides plenty of space for both professional and social fun.
Location: 220 Fifth Avenue
What’s the coolest or most unique feature of your office? How does this reflect the culture of your company?
One of the coolest features of our office is our big, open kitchen that makes you feel like you’re in someone’s really beautiful home — with amazing views of Madison Square Park. It’s where we hold our weekly happy hours, featuring delicious food and drinks and curated by a rotating group of people from different teams. This area is a great reflection of Riskified’s focus on cross-departmental collaboration, both professionally and socially. The office was really built with that in mind, and there are spaces for socializing and celebrating. This carries over to our sports teams and company-wide outings. I’m happy to come to an office where it feels like you’re working and also hanging out with friends at the same time.
I might sit with sales on Monday, our CEO on Tuesday and the rest of the integrations team on Wednesday.”
What’s your team’s favorite part of the office and why?
My team’s favorite parts of the office are the open tables where we work during the day. Teams don’t have assigned seats, so I might sit with sales on Monday, our CEO on Tuesday and the rest of the integrations team on Wednesday. That intermingling keeps everyone aware of what’s going on and helps us share ideas and brainstorm as a team. There are peaceful nooks and cozy couches if you need some alone time, but in the open space, you are always guaranteed to get a funny greeting or overhear a conversation you can’t find anywhere else. There’s also a great sound system, and some of our team members do an excellent job DJing throughout the day!
Common is rethinking the modern rental experience with its beautifully designed co-living spaces, and if you stumbled into their Midtown office you might just think you were in one. According to Director of People Operations Sara Marzitelli, this is no coincidence. Rather, Common’s office has become a sort of testing ground for their work that allows them to actually live the member experience.
Location: 335 Madison Avenue
What’s the coolest or most unique feature of your office?
Our windows! Common has sweeping, welcoming and bright windows that line almost the entirety of our office walls. They create a space that’s the antithesis of the dark, claustrophobic offices that are typical to Midtown. You’d be hard-pressed to find a dingy corner here — or anywhere throughout the building. In this neighborhood, it’s easy to feel stifled by the surrounding skyscrapers and tight avenues, but our windows transform the office into a haven of natural light. They make our office feel open and airy; it’s the perfect atmosphere to decompress after a crazy commute into Grand Central.
...these spaces create a comfortable environment for our team to gather and collaborate...”
What aspects of your office space help fuel creativity and collaboration?
When designing our new office, we sought to recreate the look and feel of a Common home as much as we could in a big office building. For example, we have several areas throughout the office that look just like a living room at Common, from the cozy couches and plentiful seating options to the luscious rugs and beautiful plants. Not only do these spaces create a comfortable environment for our team to gather and collaborate, but they also connect us to the homes we work with. It’s easier to think of the member experience and new ways to improve it when it’s part of your own daily life.
With bright, open spaces, cozy couches and plenty of greenery, the Meero office is designed with community and fun in mind. Talent Acquisition Manager Lindsey Walter walked us through the space and shared her favorite features.
Location: 225 Broadway
What’s the coolest or most unique feature of your office? How does this reflect the culture of your company?
I would say the most unique feature of our office is the swings in the entryway. It is the first thing you see when you walk into Meero, and we want it to be welcoming and fun. It is also a great spot for employees to take a break.
It’s a space where most of the office spends lunch and hangs out after work as well.”
What’s your team’s favorite part of the office and why?
Our team’s favorite part of the office is our common area. It’s a space where most of the office spends lunch and hangs out after work as well. It is a great area for people who are on different teams to spend time together and get to know each other. We have also been known to have some heated ping pong games in the common space.
Monday.com is all about helping teams work together better — and their office space is a true embodiment of that mission. Jessica Saranich, who works in the company’s operations department, explained how their office is designed to celebrate wins, encourage fun and inspire teamwork.
Location: 26 West 17th Street
What’s the coolest or most unique feature of your office? How does this reflect the culture of your company?
One of the coolest features of our office is our many walls of screens displaying information about our company. Monday.com is a software platform emphasizing team collaboration and transparency. We like to bring that message to reality inside our offices by broadcasting dashboards across 37 different data-filled screens! The screens are even programmed to flash celebrations when we achieve something awesome like closing a deal or giving good customer service.
...every teammate has access from their personal computers to control the song selection, speaker location and volume.”
What’s your team’s favorite part of the office and why?
The team at monday.com loves interacting with our surround sound music system. There are five speakers spread across the office, and every teammate has access from their personal computers to control the song selection, speaker location and volume. This creates a fun and open culture of sharing musical tastes. The occasional volume war also adds a unique and surprising dynamic between teammates to keep our culture collaborative and spunky.
