Epam loft by layers.archi

by this point, epam systems had become not only the largest outsourcing it developer in belarus and one of the largest in the world, but also one of the best employers in the country. in a sense, the founders' and ceo's ambition was fulfilled – they definitely changed, if not the world, then a significant part of it

SQUARE METERS

117O

20 CAREFULLY DESIGNED SETUPS AND INFINITE IMPROVISATIONS

CREATIVE SPACES OF DIFFERENT SIZES

SIMULTANEOUS WORKSPACE USERS

1O - 102O

it became clear that it was not enough to create financial conditions for the birth of new processes, teams, and projects. a space had to be created – and who better than George knows how to create environments that stimulate and support creativity?

but another aspect of the dream remained unfulfilled – to make epam a creative hub, a generator and incubator of new ideas, startups, and ambitious teams. this project began with the ceo of the company attending an open lecture by the founder of layers, George Zaborski

THE DREAM

concept

BY THAT TIME, I HAD ALREADY LAUNCHED SEVERAL POP-UP CREATIVE SPACES, SUCH AS ME100

I NOTICED THAT CREATIVITY AND TEAM AUTONOMY ARISE WHERE ENOUGH COMFORT MEETS MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY OF THE SPACE - THE RECONFIGURATION OF A PLACE TO SUIT ONESELF BECOMES A PHYSICAL METAPHOR OF THE FUTURE PROJECT.

БОЛЬШЕ О КОНЦЕПЦИЯХ ЗАБОРСКОГО

РЕКОНСТРУКЦИЯ ЗАВОДА В КРЕАТИВНЫЙ ХАБ

ИЗУЧИТЕ СВЯЗАННЫЙ ПРОЕКТ

BREAKING THE RULES IS THE ONLY RULE FOR ANY AMBITIOUS STARTUP. THAT'S WHY, CREATING THE LOFT, WE, AS THE MOST CREATIVE AND REBELLIOUS KIDS, COMBINED THE PRINCIPLES OF THE GREATEST TOY BUILDING SYSTEMS, LEGO AND MECCANO

WE DECIDED TO TURN THE TOP FLOOR OF THE NEW EPAM SYSTEMS BUILDING, STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION, INTO A TRANSFORMER SPACE THAT COULD EASILY ADAPT TO LECTURES, PRESENTATIONS, DISCUSSION FORMATS, MEETUPS, AND HACKATHONS — AND COULD ALSO TEMPORARILY BECOME A FLEXIBLE OFFICE FOR STARTUPS BORN AT HACKATHONS

FLOW

[ STUDIO FOUNDER DURING THE BRIEFING WITH THE TEAM ]

THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AND A NECESSARY ATTRIBUTE OF ANY FREEDOM. THIS IS WHY THE PLAYFUL ASPECT OF ARCHITECTURE IS SO OFTEN PRESENT IN OUR PROJECTS, GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERPRET, EXPLORE, AND REINVENT THE POSSIBILITIES OF A SPACE (AFFORDANCES)

FOUNDER'S INSTAGRAM

“NEUROSCIENTISTS, LIKE STEVEN PINKER, WILL TELL YOU THAT PLAY IS THE BASIS OF ALL EXPLORATORY BEHAVIOR,”

GEORGE ZABORSKI

STAGE ON WHEELS

H-BEAM COLUMNS-RAILS

DETAILING OF HALL I - FRAGMENTS

THE SOCKETS DESCEND FROM THE CEILING

[ STUDIO FOUNDER DURING THE BRIEFING WITH THE TEAM ]

WE WILL MAKE IT IN CALM WOODEN TONES, AND THE INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS – OUTLETS, COUNTERWEIGHTS, FURNITURE TRANSFORMERS, OBJECTS WITH MULTIPLE USES – WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED IN BRIGHT TECHNICAL COLORS, LIKE ON A MODERN FACTORY OR IN A MECCANO CONSTRUCTOR

FOUNDER'S INSTAGRAM

“TO START AND STIMULATE THE GAME, THE SPACE MUST AMAZE, AND FOR IT TO BE CONVENIENT,

GEORGE ZABORSKI

ALL HORIZONTAL SURFACES IN THE LOFT ARE DESIGNED, POSITIONED, AND SUPPORTED BY INFRASTRUCTURE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY CAN BE INTERPRETED AS PLACES FOR RELAXATION (YES, YOU CAN LIE ON THE WINDOWSILL), DISCUSSION, OR WORK (YES, ITS HEIGHT IS EQUAL TO THE HEIGHT OF A STANDING DESK!)

THE LIGHTING SYSTEM INCLUDES MAIN LIGHTS THAT CAN BE ADJUSTED IN HEIGHT, AND THEATRICAL SPOTLIGHTS THAT CAN HIGHLIGHT SPECIFIC AREAS DURING EVENTS

THE FLOOR BECOMES A BACKGROUND, A "CANVAS" FOR CREATIVE IMPROVISATION, WHICH IS WHY IT IS MADE OF CALM AND NATURAL, ESPECIALLY DURABLE AND EASY-TO-CLEAN LAMINATE IN THE COLOR OF FRESH OAK WOOD

IN THE LOFT SPACE, THERE ARE SEVERAL LEGO-LIKE LARGE ELEMENTS ON RUBBER WHEELS THAT DO NOT DAMAGE THE FLOOR, AND BY ROLLING THEM, ONE CAN REASSEMBLE THE ENTIRE SPACE

ONE OF THE COLOR ACCENTS IS CREATED BY A VENTILATION SYSTEM IN THE COMPANY'S SIGNATURE COLOR. IT ALSO REFERS TO THE EARLY BUILDING-CONSTRUCTORS, SUCH AS THE CENTRE POMPIDOU IN PARIS.

OTHER FEATURES

GALLERY

[ STUDIO FOUNDER DURING THE BRIEFING WITH THE TEAM ]

AND THERE'S ALSO A KITCHEN, WHERE, IN ADDITION TO SPOONS AND FORKS, THERE ARE MARKERS, AND EVERY SINGLE SURFACE IS DESIGNED FOR WRITING WITH THESE MARKERS, AND SO ON

FOUNDER'S INSTAGRAM

“IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERY CREATIVE PERSON OR ENGINEER CAN CHOOSE A SPACE THAT SUITS THEM. THAT'S WHY, IN ADDITION TO THE TECHNOLOGICAL LOFT, WE HAVE A REFERENCE TO A LIBRARY,”

GEORGE ZABORSKI

"THE EXPERIENCE OF SILICON VALLEY HAS LONG BEEN STUDIED, AND IT STATES: TO CREATE A STARTUP ECONOMY, YOU NEED TO MIX VERY DIFFERENT PEOPLE,

[ STUDIO FOUNDER DURING THE BRIEFING WITH THE TEAM ]

AND ALLOW THEM TO BREAK THE RULES. IN A REGULATED BELARUS, WHERE THE ECHOES OF CONSERVATISM HAVE EVEN PENETRATED THE DESIGN OF CORPORATE WORKSPACES, THE TRANSFORMER SPACE BECOMES THE FIRST EXPERIENCE OF CREATIVELY BREAKING THE RULES AND RECONCEPTUALIZING THE WORLD AROUND US

FOUNDER'S INSTAGRAM

GEORGE ZABORSKI

INCLUDED OUR SPACE IN THEIR GLOBAL ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE BEST OFFICES

WORLD'S BEST OFFICES REVIEWER

office snapshots

THE MARKET OPENED UP FOR LAYERS AFTER THIS PROJECT: WE WORKED FOR SEVERAL TECHNOLOGICAL GIANTS AND ALSO BEGAN CONSULTING THEM ON THE ORGANIZATION OF WORKSPACES AND REST AREAS

OFFICES OF BIG TECH

market

company

EPAM Systems

THIS PROJECT MARKED THE BEGINNING OF A SUSTAINED COLLABORATION BETWEEN ZABORSKY'S STUDIO AND EPAM SYSTEMS: AFTER THE LOFT CAME THE PARK FOR WORK AND EVENTS AND A SEMI-GOVERNMENTAL COWORKING INCUBATOR IN THE NATIONAL HIGH-TECH PARK.

WHAT DO THE MARKET, CLIENTS, AND SPECIALISTS SAY ABOUT THE PROJECT AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION?

REACTIONS