An office for work and relaxation

balbek bureau’s design created a variety of environments for different purposes. At the Grammarly office in Kyiv there’s space to work, rest, and play. Using eco-friendly materials, the furnishings are casual and homey, featuring uncommon, colorful designs that convey a sense of welcome and wellbeing for all

The Ukrainian company Grammarly specialized in checking and correcting spelling and grammar in online writing has taken the world by storm. After opening offices in San Francisco, New York, and Vancouver, it has moved its Kyiv headquarters to a superenergetic, super-comfortable space designed by local architects balbek bureau to accommodate its growing workforce. It was its surging employee numbers that made that an addition necessary, after only four months after moving to the new offices, entailing design of a new section and an additional floor. Seeking to maintain design con-

sistency between the two floors, symbolize connection in a unique style and extend the concept of the existing walkway bridge, local architects balbek bureau set an interior staircase ramp in an open-space reception area. The ground floor develops around a central core element that is the anchor and heart of all entrances into the ground floor areas, including five meeting rooms of three different sizes, a central conference room with a speaker podium, a 30-seat amphitheater, auxiliary rooms, and the main transit area to the adjacent offices, bound by glass partitions and soundproof doors. A three-dimensional installation is located around this central area, consisting of horizontal and vertical plywood panels, which can be opened and used as blackboards on the back, forming individual lounge areas with sofas, soundproof booths for employees who want privacy or greater concentration, and a printing area.

Many corners of the office are furnished with armchairs and ottomans for employees to relax and gather informally. Recreation areas include a cafeteria, a library, and a multifunctional soundproofed room for projecting videos or playing musical instruments. For working parents, a nursing room has been set up with a nursing chair, changing table, and sink, plus a playroom for kids under 3. The office furnishings are in pastel shades such as powder pink, teal, and butter yellow which foster a soothing atmosphere. Several partitions are lined with natural oak boards, designed to accommodate planters overflowing with plants. The reception area features a cylindrical plywood wall with a round sheet metal desk in the center. A perimeter sofa and white flight of stairs support the area’s functions. The stairs start from the podium, which can also be used as a seat. A single color clads all elements, including carpet tiles, glass wall moldings, custom-made armchairs, and sofas. The white staircase leads to the mezzanine and turns into a 90-meter-long metal walkway gently curving around the office. Envisioned like an overlook point, it has lounge areas scattered along the path.

The upper floor, 450 square meters, holds 128 individual workstatons and an inviting seating area, and a collection of square structures just for naps. A weight-sensing device mounted under each mattress signals when the space is occupied by illuminating the letters “ZZZ.”

Client: Grammarly Kyiv Interior design: balbek bureau Furnishings: 366 Concept, Hay, Infiniti, Magis, Moroso, Noti, Promo.Furniture, Sitland, Stalkon, Vitra Lighting: Artemide, Belux, Blank, Designheure, Faro, Leds c4, Mamacloud belix frank gehry, Marset, Martinelli Luce, Norman Copenhagen, Santa&Cole, Seletti, Slv, Tooy, VIbia, Volta

Author: Antonella Mazzola Photo credits: Andrey Bezuglov, Yevhenii Avramenko