Many factors justify the cultural shift within corporate environments: the rapid development of technology, the post-pandemic trend towards a hybrid working model, the global nature of business, employee expectations for a balanced quality of life, the growing awareness of the environmental impact of traditional office work, and the recognition that diverse and inclusive work environments lead to better business outcomes. These factors call for adaptability and flexibility.

Amidst this context, architecture and design prioritize the employee experience and well-being, supporting a human-centric approach to physical work environments where both businesses and employees can thrive.

Kaizen Campus is the first office premises in Greece to reflect the current cultural shift through architecture. The architects developed a unique research method that concluded in a design revolving around six pillars:

Collaboration: including meeting rooms, e-meeting rooms, think rooms, and project rooms

Focus: incorporating spaces like phone booths, quiet rooms, and enclosed offices

Socialization: providing areas for social connections, corridor conversations, and the coffee station

Learning: integrated into every space, particularly in training rooms and leadership studios

Rejuvenation: promoting body activation and relaxation

Inclusivity: a guiding principle across the design

To translate these pillars into user-friendly design, a new participatory design approach was developed. This approach involved several steps: understanding the brand culture, conducting interviews with team members, discussing needs with team leaders, organizing facility workshops, producing a building program, and dividing the project into mind map sections. As a result, the Kaizen Campus spaces are tailored to the needs of each company department.

The three-level reception area features one side with wooden cladding and the other with wavy perforated sheet metal. Its furniture is made from terrazzo, hollowed internally to fit its curved shape. A metal sculpture hangs in the atrium center, surrounded by solid wood representations of sports equipment.

The first floor emphasizes adaptability and collaboration, with a modular library system dividing the space into areas for open meeting rooms or group work in various cluster arrangements. Agile desks, designed for easy movement, facilitate the formation of large collaborative groups.

The second floor’s meeting complex includes meeting rooms, the main boardroom, and an executive dining room. The ground floor auditorium doubles as an extension of the restaurant space when not hosting events. The floor’s organic design enhances spatial fluidity, with high-quality woven vinyl flooring improving both aesthetics and acoustics. The overall design is complemented by the use of solid terrazzo and oak veneer.

The building’s corporate identity is reflected through artworks by Dimitris Polychroniadis and sculptures representing company values, designed by French graphic artist Jerome Masi and sculptor Theodoros Frastanlis.

The design of the building prioritized the integration of the basic principles of bioclimatic design and is to be certified according to the international LEED certification system for sustainable development at the GOLD level. It is also the first building in Greece to achieve WELL certification, which focuses on the health and well-being of employees by integrating the best practices of scientific and medical research into its design, construction, and operation.

Overall, Kaizen Campus sets a benchmark in Greece for how architectural choices can impact the physical, mental, and emotional health of people and the well-being of businesses.