Organizational Culture and the Workplace What kind of office design emerges when organizational ulture is taken into account? How does this change when we consider business philosophies, goals, and long-term strategies as well as the organizational structures and changes necessary to realize them? Businesses create organizations and environments, and these environments in turn inform the organizational cultures underlying the business. In this issue, we look into the role of offices in these interrelationships. Collaborating to Create the Stuff of Dreams Mike and Sally raise a hand to greet everyone who walks through the front glass doors. Mike and Sally, of course, are famous characters from Monsters, Inc. Next, fish from Finding Nemo seem to cavort at the back of a spacious atrium while employees zoom back and forth on kick scooters. This whimsical environment, likely to put a smile on kids and parents alike, is Pixar’s main office. Beyond this cheerful exterior we found a host of design elements to help the creative staff combine their talents into the famous Pixar magic. Pixar/ Emeryville, California, USA Going with the Planet Outdoor clothing brand Patagonia is famous as the first company to manufacture synthetic fleece clothes from post-consumer recycled (PCR®) plastic bottles. Many companies trumpet their environmentally friendly corporate slogans, but in transforming waste products into a textile substitute for animal skins, Patagonia has truly put environmentalism—one of the company’s founding philosophies—into action. It does this not only through plastics-based product lines like fleece, but also through a host of corporate programs designed to help the environment. Patagonia dedicates a portion of its office space to environmental protection groups and donates either 1% of sales or 10% of pre-tax profits (whichever is larger) from its “1% for the Planet” campaign. Seen from this perspective, the company could be mistaken for a non-profit—and it is just as friendly to its 1,000 employees as it is to the environment. Patagonia/ Ventura, California, USA Workplace Transition TBWA/Chiat/Day is known for its attention-grabbing ad campaigns. The ad agency has used the same innovative style in recreating its organization and offices time and again. ECIFFO has followed these transformations with articles in 1990, 1994, and 1999. This year we visited TBWA/Chiat/Day’s New York office once more to see its latest incarnation. TBWA/CHIAT/DAY/ New York, New York, USA A Workplace Strategy for Diverse Work Styles Hewlett-Packard's "The HP Workplace" strategy is designed to enable diverse work styles for a diverse workforce by creating an in-house mobile communications environment. Hewlett-Packard/ Palo Alto, California, USA Design for Diversity At present the only embodiment of HP's new workplace strategy is the third floor of the company's Palo Alto, California headquarters. The location, whose renovation was completed in September 2003, currently houses 566 employees (190 resident, 376 mobile), most members of the Technical Solution Group. Although HP's Free Address concept was born in the early '90s to aid the field work of sales offices, it has grown to the point where the corporate headquarters itself has adopted it. In this sense, the renovations represent a dramatic leap forward for the company. Hewlett-Packard/ Palo Alto, California, USA Everybody Loves TV! The TV programs we watch as children often take a special hold on our imagination, a hold that continues long after the programs' final episodes. TV Land is a network specializing in nostalgia TV, just for those who still want to enjoy their old favorites. The company's offices, located in a Manhattan skyscraper, are bright and colorful while still managing an evocative air. Walk in and it's almost as if you have wandered onto the set of your favorite childhood show. This retro atmosphere is what's at the heart of TV Land’s appeal. TV Land/ New York, New York, USA