Today’s generation of office workers have a very different mindset when choosing a career than their predecessors. Millennials nowadays have a long list of perks and benefits to tick off when applying for jobs, including above-average incomes, flexibility and a relaxed atmosphere in the workplace, casual dress code, cool gadgets and technologies at their disposal, and a plethora of flexible, informal spaces where they can go to find inspiration.
Though most of today’s tech-savvy Millennials tend to steer away from the rigid 9-to-5 work schedule, those who embrace it want to feel relaxed and at home at the office in order to be productive. Consequently, companies–especially those in the technology sector–adapt to the needs of the employees they are trying to attract. Tech firms have stepped up their amenity packages and are designing modern, flexible, and often whimsical office spaces to accommodate the most creative of minds–trying to create the ideal live/work/play environment.
Keeping the needs of the modern tech employee in mind, we thought we’d check out some of the companies that offer cool and fun workspace environments–you know, for inspiration. We’re starting off with the Lone Star State–the Texas office market is home to a large variety of both established and growing tech companies, and some of them have really stepped it up in terms of creative office space. Here are some of our favorites:
HomeAway – The Domain, Austin
Images courtesy of Nick Simonite via Office Snapshots and Madalyn Mendoza via mySanAntonio
Part of The Domain, a high-density, mixed-use project developed by Simon Property Group and Endeavor Real Estate Group, 11800 Domain Blvd. is home to the fourth Austin location of HomeAway, a vacation rental marketplace founded in Austin in 2005. The 140,000-square-foot, LEED Silver-certified Domain 2 building offers HomeAway’s employees a variety of amenities, including 490 parking spaces and a Whole Foods Market store right across the street. But the office’s most impressive feature is the retro arcade game room, complete with shuffleboard sets, colorful lounging areas and a life-size replica of the station wagon from National Lampoon’s Vacation. Additionally, the lauckgroup-designed space includes a 3D video tunnel featuring virtual vacation experiences, travel souvenirs, birdhouses, ping pong tables, a “Zen Den,” a fitness center, unlimited snacks and a massive collection of snowglobes. And the list goes on and on…
Atlassian – Colorado Tower, Austin
Images courtesy of lauckgroup and Laura Skelding via Statesman
Headquartered in San Francisco and Australia, software company Atlassian is also quite present on the buzzing Austin office market. The rapidly growing firm enlisted the help of lauckgroup to expand its footprint at the Colorado Tower in downtown Austin in 2015, and the results are quite spectacular. Atlassian now occupies three floors at 303 Colorado St., including two scenic terraces. The entire space is flexible and can be reconfigured at any time to accommodate the growing number of employees. Amenities include two large break rooms, a coffee house serving coffee and beer, a game room, various open lounge areas, and quiet zones. But probably the best feature of Atlassian’s Austin digs is the abundance of natural light and scenic views of the city’s downtown.
theCHIVE – San Jacinto Center, Austin
Images courtesy of theCHIVE
Housed within downtown Austin’s San Jacinto Center, theCHIVE headquarters looks like a fun place to work. The 14,000-square-foot office at 98 San Jacinto Blvd. includes two employee lounges, dedicated bars and–here’s the best part–a two-story adult slide. Resignation Media completed the space for theCHIVE in early 2015, after a $4 million, 18-month renovation effort, and we think it was worth it. The photo-entertainment website’s colorful home base has it all–a plethora of fun amenities within the office and convenient location right in the heart of downtown Austin. “Keep Calm and Chive On!”
Rackspace Global Headquarters – 1 Fanatical Place, San Antonio
Images courtesy of Tyler White via mySanAntonio
Cloud computing company Rackspace marked the start of a new era when it moved its headquarters within the former Windsor Park Mall in Northeast San Antonio in 2007. The vacant mall at 1 Fanatical Place was redeveloped into 1.2 million square feet of creative office space and 2,040 parking spaces, owned and managed by Rackspace. Dubbed “The Castle,” the firm’s corporate base doesn’t look as corporate as you might think. Fun amenities include a killer slide that takes Rackers from the second floor to the food court area, classic arcade games like Ms. Pac-Man, a massive word search puzzle with more than 3,900 words, creative and colorful meeting spaces, and a room featuring a toy gun theme. Working in this castle must really make you feel like a king!
CyrusOne – 1649 West Frankford Road, Carrollton, Texas
Images courtesy of CyrusOne and Corgan
CyrusOne’s 670,000-square-foot facility in Carrollton, Texas, is the largest data center in the state, as well as one of the most energy efficient in the U.S. Located at 1649 W. Frankford Road, roughly 17 miles from the bustling Dallas commercial real estate market, the facility’s 60,000-square-foot office component incorporates a two-story fitness center, locker and break rooms, a rock climbing wall, putting green, ping pong tables, golf driving range, foosball table, Wii Zone and Yoga Zone, according to Corgan. Moreover, CyrusOne employees also have easy access to the DFW International Airport, which is located just nine minutes away.
Dropbox – 501 Congress Avenue, Austin
Images courtesy of lauckgroup and Arnold Wells via the Austin Business Journal
San Francisco-based file hosting service company Dropbox unveiled its new downtown Austin offices at 501 Congress Ave. in the fall of 2015, and it looks like a really cool place to work. The firm spared no expense trying to attract top tech talent, adding a variety of modern features that capture “the company’s young creative energy and high standard of design,” according to lauckgroup, the interior architect of record. Dropbox’s Austin digs incorporate a fully-equipped music room where employees can jam on different instruments, a large gaming area, a meditation room and a state-of-the-art fitness center.
