AWWG’s new offices combine the flow, inspiration and wellbeing associated with the working methods of today and tomorrow.
Fashion group AWWG today has released details and images of its new headquarters in central Madrid. The focus for the layout and interior has been born out of a move towards a new working model: seeking synergies between teams and consolidating the fundamentals of the group’s corporate values.
Two separate wings within the office-space concentrate on distinct business areas: with the corporate offices principally housed, on one side, and the showrooms, containing individual boutiques which stage each brand’s new collections for visiting buyers, on the other. The two units converge at the entrance, which offers renovated food trucks where visitors can enjoy a coffee, and an outdoor terrace situated in a peaceful, modern courtyard.
New offices, for a new era
Recent years have noted a trend towards more collaborative ways of working, a fundamental element reflected in the distribution of desk modules in the corporate office space. Employees hot-desk in airy atriums flanked by signs with the words of the company’s conceptual vision and artwork from some of the most iconic campaigns. By reserving a spot at any number of the wooden communal hubs, on a dedicated app, opting for high or low positioned desks, workers are encouraged to alternate between modules, rooms and setups on a daily basis.
Partially closed breakout rooms can be reserved for meetings, and comfy sofas can be used for more informal meetings, or a quick tea break to be shared with colleagues to exchange ideas. “The assortment of working areas caters for individual working needs, fosters collaboration and inspires creativity. We all have different requirements which can change from one day to another, and the idea was for this space to accommodate them all,” explains Mónica Canto, Chief Human Resources Officer, AWWG.
Showrooms made to showcase
The showroom wing of the offices is a mirror image of the corporate offices in size, though, with a very different feel. The individual brands take over a shop space, each one tailored to distill the look, ambiance and even smell of the quintessential brand characteristics, allowing clients to participate in a lifelike shopping experience which has become paramount to the buying process.
Spaces set for shoots and streaming
Rounding off the fully functional new office site is a high-spec photo studio, which offers two spaces for carrying out photo and product shoots. The shoot suite is complete with changing areas for models to use, ensuring their comfort, so that everything is nicely contained in its own setting.
There is also a multifunctional space which can be adapted for a whole host of events. This two-story lounge space houses a refreshment bar and has ample space to fit employees, customers and other guests-alike. It is also equipped with all the latest technological equipment necessary for streaming high-quality webcasts and for producing videos.
Wellbeing, well received
Yet the architecture, flow and functionality of the building were not the only elements project designers, alongside AWWG’s corporate management team, were concerned with. They were careful to cater for the wellbeing of their employees and visitors when formulating the plan for the new working space. The canteen ensures that employees are not only comfortable when working, but also in their down time.
“The pandemic has brought about changes in the workplace, but this revolution had already begun before”, notes Marcella Wartenbergh, CEO AWWG, “We believe that going forwards, a hybrid way of working will allow our colleagues the right environment to boost their creativity, allow innovation to thrive, while also providing the comfort and flexibility that we have come to expect in the new workplace of today.”